From the Ground Up
by Atakahiro
Summary: Robin was never one for romance. While everyone else in the Shepherds began to tie the knot, Robin was perfectly fine with being alone. He was truly content with being a bachelor until a certain princess joined the party, one who he had always had a bit of a thing for. What could have been a storybook ending is anything but, as the job of a master tactician is truly never over.
1. Chapter 1

**_Hello everyone! Welcome! I'll keep the author's notes short and sweet for ya._**

 ** _From the Ground Up is a Robin x Lucina story that will follow Robin, Chrom, Lucina as well as the rest of the Shepherds over the second half of Fire Emblem Awakening. While this story will mainly be a Robin x Lucina fanfic, it will also be somewhat of a novelization of the later half of the game. Though, I don't plan to stick too strictly to the original recipe. I might throw in some of my own spices here and there._**

 ** _When it comes to updating, expect new chapters every week to month! When it comes to writing fanfiction, I'm more of a write the chapter and then post it immediately after some edits kind of guy. Because of that, updates could take a couple of weeks, or they could take a couple of days. Sorry in advance if that upsets you!_**

 ** _That's all I really wanted to say! So, thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoy!_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem or the characters._**

* * *

"'Father,' huh?"

Robin watched Chrom and "Marth" from a distance that was far enough away so he couldn't eavesdrop, but still close enough that he could stand and watch. After the spectacle that had occurred at the end of their battle with the Risen, the entire camp was abuzz with curiosity- Robin included. This "Marth" woman, who had been helping the Shepherds since the conflict with Plegia, had called Chrom "father" when she saved his life from that would-be assassin. After that, Marth pulled Chrom aside and the two had been talking ever since. It was very conspicuous. Robin had heard whispers of a supposed affair or long last relative, but he knew better than that.

Given the teary hug the two had just shared, it looked like things were beginning to heat up down there.

"Oh, this could be bad," Robin muttered. "This could really, really complicate things."

Robin cursed his rotten luck. What were that odds that could this seriously happen? Something this outrageous? It was just unbelievable. The man was an amnesiac with no hopes of recovering his lost memories, and this thing that's happening right now might be the unluckiest thing to happen to him yet. Was Naga screwing with him? Or Grima, for that matter? Hell, maybe it was just the plain old God of Assholery!

How unlucky does one have to be to fall hopelessly in love with someone, only to discover that the person you were so hopelessly in love with was the daughter of your best friend? How screwed up is that?

Okay, maybe "hopelessly in love" was a _bit_ of an exaggeration. The term "crushing hard" might have been more appropriate. It had been a long and bumpy road for the snow-haired tactician. It all began on the day her mask had broken back at the castle and her face had been revealed. The way that beautiful blue hair had cascaded down those tantalizingly slender shoulders; the way the moon had illuminated her feminine yet firm face… it was love at first sight. Robin didn't want to feel that way at the time, as he didn't want anything to interfere with his duty, but as time went on the feelings had only grown fiercer. There was a part of him that had later wondered if he was so shallow as to fall in love based on looks alone, but he was able to rationalize himself out of that corner little by little. There was more to it then that, and he was sure of it.

After what he had witnessed today, that fear seemed so silly now. His biggest worry _now_ was if he would fall in love with Chrom if he were to become a drag queen.

"Oh gods, what if I suddenly become attracted to one-year-olds?"

He shivered at the very thought.

"Robin?"

 _Shit._

The tactician froze. He slowly turned his head to see that Sumia was now standing right beside him.

His luck had suddenly gotten worse.

"How long have you been standing there?!"

"I just got here," Sumia answered and rose an eyebrow at him. "Why, is something wrong?"

Robin sighed in relief with a hand on his chest. That had been a close one. There might not have been an explanation that could have dug him out of that hole.

Unaware to him, the queen's eyes wondered down the valley, eventually landing on Chrom as he hugged his daughter.

"Eeep!" Sumia squeaked and brought a hand to her mouth.

Robin winced, kicking himself mentally for that one. If he had kept a closer watch he could have avoided terribly awkward situations like this one.

"Wh-wh-wh-why is Chrom hu-hu-hugging _that woman_?" Sumia blubbered, her eyes seething with rage, confusion, and most of all, sadness.

"Uh…"

Robin looked back and forth between the huggers and Sumia, his mind racing as he tried to think of a decent excuse, since this was kind of his fault.

He was a tactician, damn it! He had helped lead the Shepherds to countless victories that would make even the most prestigious of generals look like amateurs. This should be easy! Just something simple and believable would work.

"Maybe they're hugging to try and stay warm?"

… _Really?_

"If you're cold, you stand near the campfire!" Sumia shot back. "You drink hot cocoa! You bundle up! You don't just go hugging people out in the middle of nowhere! Tch, how shameless…"

Sumia mumbled that last part under her breath. Robin would have laughed were it not for this incredibly awkward situation he was in.

"Sumia, it really isn't-"

"If that's how it is, then there's really only one thing to do," Sumia nodded with a look of fierce determination in her eyes.

Robin wasn't even the least bit surprised when Sumia had pulled a flower out of her pocket and began to pluck the petals.

With an exaggerated sigh, he grabbed his friend by the hand. "Come on, let's get this squared away."

Sumia didn't object, thankfully. He really didn't want to have to drag her there, and this Grandmaster sure as hell wasn't above carrying a queen over his shoulder if he had to.

Once he was certain she would keep following her, he let go of her hand.

"Hey, yo Chrom!" Robin shouted and whistled.

Chrom and Marth both turned their heads towards the oncoming pair.

"What is it, Robin?" Chrom asked once they had gotten close enough. "Is everything alright? Did more Risen appear? Is the camp under attack?"

He then noted his downtrodden wife.

"Why is Sumia tearing apart that poor flower?"

"Chrom," Robin smiled sweetly at his best friend, but his glare was quite the opposite. "I'm sure you know better than this. You two are standing out here alone… hugging… crying. This is how ill rumors are spread, you know."

Sumia began her eerie chanting as if to prove his point.

"He loves me, he loves me not. He loves me, he loves me not…"

The exalt's eyes widened when the realization hit. Robin preemptively stepped aside so his friend could approach his wife.

"Er, Sumia?" He mumbled, taking both of her hands in his to prevent any further damage to the flower. "Why are you plucking petals?"

"I wasn't spying on you or anything! You can't prove that!" Sumia exclaimed with teary eyes, only for them to fill with anger at the sight of Marth. "Oh, so you brought _her_ with you, did you?"

Robin didn't think he could feel anymore awkward than he was already, but he had been proven wrong in the span of a few seconds. He had to get out of here before it got any worse.

"You know what? I think I left the lamp on in my tent, and you know what Frederick says about leaving a flame unattended," Robin laughed awkwardly and turned to leave. "You all have a nice talk and just tell me later what-"

"Robin, wait. You should hear this too."

Robin closed his eyes and let out a dejected sigh before turning back around.

"Can we tell them, Lucina?" Chrom asked his daughter before continuing.

"Of course."

It was as he feared. She really was Chrom's daughter.

Robin wasn't the only one to notice the peculiar name.

"Lucina?" Sumia perked her head up.

"Sumia, dear, this is going to be a bit of a shock," Chrom smiled nervously and gripped his wife's hands. "This here is our daughter, Lucina."

Robin refrained from saying anything. It was a shock, and would definitely throw a wrench in his courting process, but he knew when to shut his trap.

"What?"

"It's true, Sumia," Lucina said and stepped forwards, brushing her hair behind her ear. "I'm your daughter. Look closely and see for yourself."

Sumia looked at her smiling husband before stepping forwards and checking for herself. Her eyes narrowed as she stared into Lucina's eyes.

"Y-your eye!" Her eyes widened at the sight. "It has the brand!"

"The same brand carried by the House of Ylisse," Chrom confirmed.

Sumia took a few shaky steps back. She looked like she was still having trouble believing it all.

"No, I do NOT see! How could she have the brand? Why is her name Lucina?" Sumia pointed an accusatory finger at her time-traveling daughter. "What did you do to my Lucina?! Is she alright?!"

"Peace, Sumia," Chrom chuckled and pushed her hand back down.

"Your baby is safe and sound right where you left her," Lucina smiled to try and appear non-threatening, but Robin could see the traces of sadness there. "I am her from another time. A time that has yet to come."

Robin's eyes widened at that. After she had called Chrom her father, Robin had wondered if that had been the case. It didn't make sense, but it was also the only thing that made _any_ sense. Chrom was way too young to have an illegitimate daughter, and Lucina had seemed way to levelheaded to be crazy. The brand in her eye in the exact same manner as the baby back at the castle, as well as her likeness to Chrom had made the future idea a lot more likely.

"The future?"

"Yes," Lucina nodded at the tactician. "More than ten years hence. After history takes a dark and most destructive turn…"

He knew he had promised himself to remain silent, but this was too much for his tactician brain to handle.

"If you don't mind sharing, what happens in the future that requires you to come here?"

Lucina's expression darkened. Robin was well aware that it couldn't be anything good. You don't just go back in time to hang out. There had to have been something Lucina was trying to prevent, something that she was trying to stop. All of her actions from before would point to that hypothesis as well. She had always been at the most important or decisive events of the Plegian War. There had to have been some overarching event that she was trying to avert.

"The fell dragon, Grima, is resurrected," Lucina paused to collect herself. "His roar is a death knell for man, a scream that silences all hope… Death everywhere…"

The three of them shared a look, but all remained silent, content to let Lucina continue at her own pace. Robin would be the first to break the silence.

"Chrom? The Shepherds? We all couldn't do anything?"

"…That is correct."

Robin exhaled slowly and ran a hand through his hair. This had been what he was expecting, but the news still hit him like a sack of bricks.

"I don't know what to say," he murmured. What could you really say to that? An apology wouldn't mean anything. A vow to prevent that future from happening wouldn't help anything. Words of reassurance would be just that; empty words with no meaning.

"A tale that beggars believe, yet the proof stands right before us," Chrom motioned towards his daughter's scabbard. "She carries Falchion, my same sword. The sword the first exalt used to fell Grima years ago."

"Aye," Lucina nodded. "Your blade and mine are one… It was all I had left of you."

The mood darkened even more, if possible. Chrom looked as if he wanted to hug the poor girl, and Sumia looked on the verge of tears.

"I believe her, Robin," Chrom said and turned towards his tactician. "There is only one Falchion."

"Yes," Robin mumbled. He wanted there to be some way to dispute her, some way to prove that this future was a lie, but he couldn't. "I don't think there is any doubt to what she says. You and Lissa even saw her fall from the sky on the day you found me."

"Thank you, Sir Robin," Lucina smiled, but it seemed like it was more of a formality than anything else. Once again, it disappeared as quickly as it came. "Naga, the divine dragon, feared mankind would face Grima again. In preparation for that day, she devised a ritual. It allows one to return to the past and alter events already written. I made the journey together with others, but we became separated."

"Don't worry, Lucina. If they're out there, we'll find them," Chrom reassured her with a fatherly hand on her shoulder. "Rest assured, we'll find them."

Lucina turned her head down and nodded, placing a single hand atop her father's. Underneath the wall of blue hair that covered her face, Robin could make out the inklings of a true, heartfelt smile.

And suddenly, Robin felt out of place. It was time to go.

"I'll head back to camp first," Robin grinned and gave Chrom a clasp on the shoulder. "You three take all the time you need."

Chrom gave a single nod, mouthing a silent "thank you" to Robin before the tactician turned to leave. While it was true that he had wanted to give the family some time alone, Robin need some time of his own to process this new information. A future in ruins? The death of everyone? Time-traveling children? That's not even mentioning his own personal feelings or the meetings with Validar, but that all seemed so insignificant now considering the situation.

Robin still had a war to plan.

"One thing at a time," Robin whispered to himself as he walked. Tonight had all of the makings of one of his patented all-nighters. It's not like he'd be able to sleep in the first place, so might as well get some work done.

* * *

Robin moved about the war tent like a well-oiled machine. He would study the maps that were laid out across the table, make a note of something, and then jot it down in his notebook. Rinse and repeat several times over, and after today, he had a lot of notes to write.

While the information he had received from Lucina was startling, it wasn't the most pressing. It was harrowing, yes, but there was something else that weighed on Robin's mind: the Shepherd's after-battle procedures. If it hadn't been for Lucina's timely appearance, Chrom could have been gravely wounded- or even worse -dead. As tactician of this army, he had to make sure that wouldn't happen again.

"We'll have two groups of four– scratch that, five –secure the perimeter after the end of every battle," Robin said quietly to himself as he wrote it down in his notebook. "The rest of us can stay put and make sure there aren't any stragglers that might prove dangerous."

This would be especially now more than ever. It was never as if the death of one of his own would have been acceptable under any circumstance, but after learning about the future that Lucina had come from, the weight on Robin's shoulders was heavier than ever. If someone were to fall in such an unnecessary way, Robin would never be able to live with himself.

Once he was finished with that, he planned to come up with strategies for the upcoming conflict with Valm. They were a formidable foe, so Robin wanted to make sure that the Shepherds stayed on their toes. There was the off-chance that their armies would clash out at sea, so the tactician had to sketch up some plans and back-up plans if that were to be the case.

Then finally, Robin had to compose himself. A lot had happened today. There was the meeting with Validar and that look-alike, followed by that head-splitting headache and another confrontation with Validar, and finally the conflict with the Risen and Lucina's appearance. It was a lot to take in.

Luckily for him, strategizing always set his mind at ease. When Robin was like this, everything else just sort of dulled. It was just him, his strategies, and the maps before him. Of course, there was the possibility that any plan he drew up would have to be thrown out come fighting time, but it was always best to be prepared. As _Tactics for Beginners_ would put it, "It's always better to have a strategy and not need it than to have no strategy at all." Robin always considered that a kind of common sense, but still, the phrase stuck with him.

"I had a feeling I'd find you here."

Robin looked up from his work to see Chrom standing near the entrance with his arms crossed and an annoyingly smug smirk on his face.

"A tactician in the war tent, who would have guessed," Robin deadpanned.

Chrom chuckled and pulled out one of the chairs to sit down.

"It's nice to see that today's events haven't dampered your sarcastic wit."

"It'd take a lot more than that," Robin grinned and backed away from his work. "What can I do for you, Chrom?"

"I just wanted to talk and touch base with you," Chrom shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "If you have time, that is. I know how you get when you get into the 'zone.'"

"I can spare some time," Robin replied and sat down as well. "There certainly is a lot to discuss, isn't there?"

"You can say that again," the exalt scoffed. "It feels like my entire world has been flipped upside down in the span of a day."

"Pretty much," Robin agreed and rested his chin in his hand. "First that thing with Validar, and now this."

"Yeah..." Chrom mumbled and glanced at Robin. "What are your thoughts on it all?"

"You mean the fact that our world is doomed, or the fact that there are time-traveling children that have come to stop it?"

"Both," Chrom frowned and pointed a finger at his friend. "And the world is _not_ doomed. Not if we have anything to say about it."

"I know that," Robin clicked his tongue and smacked Chrom's hand down. "It's just hard to wrap my head around, y'know? I never once considered the possibility that the end of the world was just right around the corner, let alone consider that it was because of our failures that it was brought about in the first place."

Robin's eyes wondered to the table, specifically to a map of Ylisse. The map had been marked in dozens of different locations with small black crosses. It was used to indicate run-ins or sightings with the Risen.

"But now I'm kicking myself for not seeing it earlier. The Risen grow by the day and we're on the brink of a second war within a few years of the last. This has to play part in that end, doesn't it?"

Chrom exhaled slowly through his nose, his brow slightly furrowed as he took Robin's words in.

"It is quite possible," Chrom admitted. "I would agree that the Risen are definitely not a good sign. But-"

"Oh gee, what an insightful observation. This just in: zombies are bad!"

" _But,_ " Chrom repeated himself a little louder this time while tactically ignoring the sarcastic remark. "We've had the odds stacked against us before and we've been able to pull through. And as loathe as am I to say it, as long as we have you guiding us, no outcome is set in stone."

Robin opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. While he had every intention of changing fate, there was still a part of him that wanted to tell his friend that he was placing too much trust in the ability of an amnesiac tactician that he had found unconscious in a field. But he didn't, and he wouldn't. There were some things better left off unsaid.

"…You're right, of course," Robin smirked. "But let's talk of something else, something less dark. How are Lucina and Sumia holding up? It was kind of a mess when I left you guys."

"They're doing well- at least, I think they're doing well," Chrom groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I honestly can't tell for sure. I know Sumia is elated to see her future daughter grow up into such a strong woman."

"But, you can't tell with your daughter," Robin finished for him.

"That's right," Chrom nodded glumly. "I know she's happy to see us again, but I can tell that there's something there beneath the surface. Something that's still troubling her."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked. "Other than the obvious."

"It just feels like there's this part of her that's still pushing us away."

"It's only been a day, Chrom. Maybe she just doesn't know what to say."

It was quite possible that Lucina didn't want to get close to anyone out of fear of losing them for a second time, but Robin was wise enough not to say that. Not because he didn't think Chrom shouldn't know that, but because he was sure that he was already aware. Chrom was a smart man. Robin was near positive that he had already came to that decision, but still wanted to hear alternatives. Less dreary and bleak alternatives.

"That could be it," Chrom shrugged, but he didn't look convinced. "I'm just worried that she'll distance herself from her mother and I, and I don't want that. I want to be someone she can rely on, now more than ever."

At that, Robin couldn't help but break out into a smile.

"It's amazing how fatherly you've become," Robin let out a small laugh. "Who would have thought that the man who got completely faced at the holiday festival two years ago would grow into such a mature and thoughtful dad."

"Hey!" Chrom barked and shot another one of his fingers at Robin. "That was one time, and I didn't know the eggnog had booze in it. That was an honest mistake."

"Sumia sure didn't think so."

Robin and Chrom both laughed at the memory of that night, so much so that they had to hold their stomachs and wipe away tears at the end.

"No, no she did not," Chrom wheezed and wiped away a stray tear as he settled back down. "Once you have your first kid, you'll understand. It all sort of just comes naturally."

"Yeah, right," Robin chuckled and wiped away some tears of his own. "C'mon, Chrom. Everyone in the Shepherds have already shacked up, and we're about to fight a war, in case you forgot. I won't be getting married or having kids until waaaaaay in the future."

It was actually kind of frightening how nearly everyone in the Shepherds had ended up marrying one another. Robin often wondered if he had any part in their beginnings, but he always chalked it up to pure coincidence.

"Hey, you never know! There are plenty of fish in the sea," the exalt said with a cheeky grin. "Which reminds me, whatever happened to that one girl you were talking about?"

Robin tilted his head to the side and cocked an eyebrow at him.

"That doesn't ring any bells. I'm not one to talk about women, you know that."

"No, no, I remember it now!" Chrom exclaimed and snapped his fingers. "It was the night after our victory against Gangrel! It was late in the night after all of the celebrations and partying, and everyone had either gone to bed or passed out. The only three still awake were you, me, and Gaius."

Robin's jaw slowly dropped, his eyes widening in horror. Oh gods did he remember that night now.

"That's right! I remember you were talking about this woman that you had a serious crush on, and you just wouldn't stop yapping about her. You even went so far as to describe her as a 'hottie with a body-'"

"Stop!" Robin blurted out, causing Chrom to flinch. "For the sake of all that is holy, I beg of you to quit right there. For both of our sakes, please stop."

Chrom rose an eyebrow at his friend, his dumbstruck expression slowly turning into a smug one.

"You're embarrassed, aren't you."

"No shit you idiot!" Robin covered his rosy cheeks with a hand. "…I can't _believe_ you remembered that."

"Of course I did," Chrom grinned victoriously and rose to his feet. "Because unlike some people, I didn't have a drop of alcohol that night. Ha!"

Chrom strutted towards the exit, laughing all the way.

"Thanks for the chat, Robin. Just as I expected, you really did cheer me up."

Robin growled and threw a book at the prince, who simply dodged it and ran away.

"See you tomorrow!" Chrom's called out, his voice getting quieter as he got further away. "Make sure you don't stay up all night again!"

Robin grumbled some curses under his breath and roughly pushed back in Chrom's chair.

"Well now I'm gonna," he huffed as he went to retrieve his book.

* * *

"Ugh…"

As Robin began to stir, he became painfully aware of the hard and unforgiving wooden table his head was resting on. That and the little puddle of drool that had pooled at the corner of his mouth. Great. He would have moved to clean it up, but he feared that the minute he budged an inch his back and neck would scream in pain. That's what happens when you fall asleep bent over a table.

"Five more minutes then," the tactician slurred and closed his eyes. He still had an hour or so before the camp began to pack up for the march.

"Sir Robin?"

Robin's eyes shot back open and he jumped out of his seat, only to instantly regret it when his back and neck popped simultaneously and loudly.

He winced and gently massaged the nape of his neck as he turned to face his guest, but he already knew fair well who it was. There was only two people among the Shepherds that would think to add a "sir" to the front of his name, and the voice was too girly to be Donnel.

Sure enough, the newest addition to their little group was standing at the entrance of the tent, her eyes wondering around the interior and purposefully avoiding him. Of all the people to walk in on him after one of his all-nighters… Robin would have preferred Chrom to be quite honest. Even Frederick would have been fine.

The sight of her caused his heart to skip a beat, but Robin pushed that feeling aside.

 _Gods, I better not be blushing. Damn you Chrom! This is all your fault!_

"Good morning, Lucina," Robin gave the princess a pained smile as he twisted his back, resulting in a few satisfying cracking noises. No point in hiding his bad habit now. "What can I do for you?"

"Father said I should come check in with you before we set out," Lucina replied, her eyes briefly landing on Robin.

Robin blinked a few times as he wondered what she meant, but then he remembered his little tradition of interviewing all new recruits to the Shepherds. It was something he had started after their journey to Regna Ferox, back when the group got new recruits nearly every battle. It eventually grew to encompass even the older Shepherds that he hadn't become acquainted with at the time. It just seemed smart to get to know the men and women you would instruct in battle. He had vowed to himself that he would never use those under his command as simple chess pieces, and this little practice helped prevent that.

"Oh, right," Robin yawned and leaned against the table. "Normally I sit down with new recruits and have a chat with them to get to know them better. You know, stuff like likes and dislikes, dreams and aspirations. That sort of thing."

"And that helps you?"

"More than you know," Robin grinned. "But, I don't think it's necessary here. We've already fought together a handful of times."

Robin's grin turned slightly mischievous.

"And crossed swords one other."

"Right," Lucina sighed softly and turned away. "My apologies."

"Its water under the bridge," Robin waved her off. "I know you had your reasons."

"Thank you for your understanding, Sir-"

"No, no, no," Robin cut her off. "None of that 'sir' crap. Here in the Shepherds we're all equals, so 'Robin' will do just fine."

"If you insist," the princess hesitated slightly before finishing. "…Robin."

"There you go! You're a natural."

Instead of laughing like Robin had hoped, Lucina only tilted her head slightly to the side and stared at him questioningly. A swing and a miss.

"A-anyway, we'll be setting out within the hour," Robin hurriedly changed subjects. "Make sure you grab a bite to eat before we go."

"Understood," Lucina bowed before turning to leave.

Robin rolled his eyes. He knew it would have been too much to expect her to drop _all_ formalities.

Lucina paused at the tent flap, having lifted it to exit, but was hesitating to do so. There appeared to be something else she had wanted to say.

"Is there something else you needed?" Robin inquired as he began to gather his supplies.

"Yes, actually," Lucina answered and turned back around. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about… and only you.

Robin set down his maps.

"That sounds a bit ominous."

"Specifically, it's about the future that I come from," she elaborated with slight hand movements. "I know you've already heard my tale, but I want you more than anyone else to understand its importance."

"I see," Robin hummed and pulled two chairs out, motioning for Lucina to sit. "Then please, continue."

Lucina nodded and sat down, as it would have been rude to deny such an invitation. She sat perfectly straight with her palms on her knees, taking a few deep breaths before continuing.

"In the future, nowhere is safe. There is no corner left for humanity to hide in. The Risen prowled the lands. The people could only cower in terror, helpless and afraid."

"I can hardly imagine such a place. That sounds like hell on earth."

Lucina's face paled as she recalled all of the terrible memories. She was biting her lip hard enough to draw blood now, and her nails were digging so far into her knees that it could have torn the fabric.

Robin's eyes softened as he watched the troubled girl struggle with her demons. How did she keep going like this? What gave her strength? If he were in her situation, Robin wondered if he would have the mental and emotional strength to continue on like this. Not only did she experience Grima's return once, but there was a strong possibility she might have to experience it again. How the hell do you psyche yourself up for that? If he had been in her shoes, he probably would have just laid down and accepted it, as pathetic as that might sound. If all of the other Shepherds really did die, Robin already knew full well that's he would do. His friends and family gave him strength. Without them, he would be nothing.

And yet, Lucina was here before him today because she _did_ have that strength to continue fighting. Robin admired that greatly.

"It _was_ hell on earth," Lucina continued shakily. "That is why we cannot – _must not_ – lose this war."

"Which is why you want me to understand its importance," Robin deducted and leaned back in his chair.

"That's correct," Lucina replied and met Robin's eyes. "You must assure that Chrom and the others avert this catastrophe."

Robin closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. She didn't say much, but that was a hell of a picture Lucina painted. A hell on earth where none were safe. An existence where Risen were the apex predator while mankind had to retreat into the shadows. After the battles and bloodshed Robin had seen, he could hardly imagine a world where humanity had fallen. However, like Chrom had said earlier, the proof was sitting right before him.

Then, if they failed here, would Lucina's future come to pass? As long as he was Grandmaster of Ylisse, he would use all of his power to prevent that question from ever being answered. As of now, the Shepherds still lived. His family still walked this earth. Robin couldn't say for sure what he would do in Lucina's situation, but he sure as hell knew what he was going to do here.

Robin leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, summoning the bravest face he could muster.

"I will do everything in my power to prevent that from happening, Lucina. As long as I breathe, I will never stop fighting for you, and Chrom, and everyone else in the world. You have my word."

Lucina narrowed her eyes slightly and stared into Robin's as if she were testing the validity of his statement. Robin assumed that was the case. He doubted the princess fully trusted him yet, but as to why he was not sure.

"…That is what I wanted to hear," she smiled, albeit a very small one. "Thank you, Robin."

"Of course," Robin said and came to his feet. "And if you ever need to talk more, you know where to find me."

Lucina nodded and stood as well, giving the tactician another bow before turning to leave. Robin had half a mind to say something more, but instead he opted to just stand there and watch as she paced out of the tent. He still remained motionless long after she had departed.

Once he was sure he was good and alone, Robin let out a long, raspy sigh and dropped his fist on the table.

"…Damn it."

* * *

 _ **Thanks for reading guys!**_

 _ **Don't let some of the darker tones in this chapter fool you. While there will be serious parts later on, I don't plan on making this fic a total dark edge fest, even if the subject matter is pretty gruesome. As you can see, I do like to add some comedy and lightheartedness here and there.**_

 _ **Also, the cover picture is from the artist**_ _ **yazwo! Just google the name and you can find his pixiv.**_

 _ **That about wraps it up! See you all next time!**_


	2. Chapter 2

It was midday when the group broke for lunch. The crew had been marching for near five hours with little to no breaks, so they were long overdue for one. Their usual protocol was to break every three hours, but with time being a factor here, Robin had ordered Frederick to make sure the caravan kept soldering on so that they could make good time. The Shepherds were a well-trained crew, so there were no complaints to be had.

Well, little to no complaints. There had been a silent yet constant stream of whining from some of the members, but they continued to march all the same. Lissa, who had been the ringleader of the whiners, eventually relented when Chrom told her she could ride on one of the wagons. After that, things ran a lot more smoothly.

Lucina found herself standing near the head of the pack when the Shepherd's caravan finally slowed to a halt. Chrom had insisted that she walk at the front of the group with him, her mother, and Frederick when they had set out. Apparently, Robin would have been at the front with them as well, but the princess had yet to see of him. The last time she saw the tactician was in the tent when the two discussed her future. It was curious, but nothing so serious that he had to be sought out.

While Lucina stood there somewhat awkwardly, unsure of what she should be doing, the rest of the Shepherds were busy scurrying around the area to set up camp for lunch. They wouldn't set up the whole camp, as they would be leaving in a few hours, but they would at least set up the cooking supplies so that lunch could be made.

"Ugh, my feet are killing me," Sumia whimpered from beside her. "My body still isn't used to all of this marching."

"Why didn't you just ride Belfire, Mother?" Lucina asked and nodded at the pegasus that was walking beside her.

"I wouldn't want to put any unnecessary stress on my little Bel now would I?" Sumia cooed and began to rub her pegasus's muzzle. The pegasus whinnied softly and eagerly moved her head into Sumia's hand. "Who's a good girl? Who is? That's right! You are!"

Lucina cracked a smile at her doting mother. It was nice to see that the passage of time didn't change all things.

"You always were an excellent caretaker. Belfire is lucky to have you as her owner."

Sumia giggled and waved her daughter off, but she could still spot the traces of a light blush gracing her mother's cheeks. Lucina had always been impressed with her mother's seemingly effortless femininity. It was like she didn't even have to try and she would appear adorable. Even her infamous clumsiness was rather endearing. The princess could remember many a time when her father would talk of how he found her constant tripping cute rather than annoying.

There were a few occasions where Lucina found herself envious of this side of her mother, but that feeling never stayed long. Lucina was never the cute or girly type, so to speak.

"What?" Sumia tilted her head slightly to the side to meet Lucina's eyes. "You've been staring at me for a few seconds now. Without blinking even."

Lucina shook her head, her blue hair swaying back and forth.

"It's nothing," she assured. "It's just great to see you again, Mother."

Sumia smiled and stepped forwards to wrap her in one of her trademark hugs. Lucina had always loved these as a girl. They were always so warm and comforting.

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way given circumstances," Sumia began tearfully. "But you will never know how happy I am that I was given a chance to meet you."

Lucina closed her eyes and hugged her mother a little closer.

"Me too."

The two broke apart after a few silent, but comfortable moments. Lucina almost regretted pulling away in the end. She had forgotten how excellent of a hugger her mother was.

"Well," Sumia grinned at her daughter as she wiped away a stray tear. "Shall we go find your father for lunch then?"

Lucina nodded, but they wouldn't end up having to look very far.

"Hey you two!" Chrom greeted as he strode towards them. "How are we holding up? I hope the marching didn't take too much out of the two of you."

Sumia opened her mouth to speak, but Lucina had already beaten her to the punch.

"I'm quite fine," Lucina replied with a nod. "We could go even go longer if need be."

"That won't be necessary," Chrom chuckled. "Besides, it's important to break and eat, otherwise you'd just wear yourself out."

"You're just saying that because we're having bear for lunch today," Sumia frowned at her husband with a knowing look.

"What?!" Chrom feigned surprise. "This is the first I've heard of this! I mean, of course I'm pleased about it, but I assure you-"

"Oh, stop it. You're not fooling anyone," Sumia scolded him and nudged her daughter with her elbow to garner her attention. "Your father never was, nor will be, much of an actor."

Lucina had to hold a hand to her mouth to hide her giggling.

Chrom looked disappointed that his ruse was discovered so quickly, but the laughing face of her troubled daughter had quite made up for it.

"Say, where's Robin?" Chrom asked, finally noting the absence of their friend. "I thought he was up here with you guys?"

"I haven't seen him."

"Neither have I," Sumia shrugged. "But, I'm pretty sure he's napping in one of the wagons."

"Again?!"

Chrom sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Given his reaction, Lucina figured that this must have been a common occurrence.

"I told that bastard not to stay up all night," Chrom grumbled and turned to look at the wagons. "And what does he do? Stay up all night. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he did it just to spite me."

Lucina frowned at her father's words. After she had discovered the tactician sleeping in the war tent, she had her suspicions about the man's work ethic. How could you be a tactician as well as a leader if you fell asleep on the job? Lucina sacrificed sleep and food to make sure she was prepared to take on any threat. There had even been a time in her life that she had forgotten what the feeling of a bed was like. Could Robin really be so weak to not do the same? So weak that he had to spend the night doing Naga knows what, only to spend the entire march napping in a wagon? She had thought that he had understood the plight they all faced, but that was clearly not the case, otherwise he wouldn't be resting so easily.

"Does your tactician always conduct himself so poorly?"

Chrom and Sumia both turned to stare at their daughter.

Lucina was worried that she had overstepped her bounds, but when she had opened her mouth to apologize, Chrom began to laugh.

"It can be difficult to understand him sometimes, can't it?" The exalt snickered and shook his head. "He doesn't always give off the best first impression."

"…No?" Lucina raised an eyebrow, unsure of where he was going with this. How would she know? She hardly even knew the man.

"I tell you what," Chrom said and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder to steer her towards one of the rear wagons. "That wagon there is where we keep all of our coffee and the coffee maker itself. Knowing Frederick, it's probably already up and running. Knowing Robin, he's probably already perched himself beside it. Why don't you go and ask him why he decided to nap while everyone else marched?"

Lucina only grew more confused, but she wasn't one to disobey her father. Nodding a farewell to both of her parents, the princess set out to do as she was told. What he thought this would accomplish, she had no clue. But, she would give her parents the benefit of the doubt. They deserved that.

The wagon her father had pointed to was the second to last one in the line. The Shepherds weren't exactly a large battalion, but they did have half a dozen of these covered wagons. Maribelle's connections had their benefits.

As Lucina approached the back of the wagon, the sounds of two men arguing could be heard quite clearly.

"I'm tellin' ya Bubbles, these candies could rake in a fortune."

Lucina hesitated from showing herself, furrowing her brow slightly as she listened in. That sounded a lot like Gaius.

"And I'm telling _you_ , absolutely no one is going to want them."

Looks like her father was right. Robin was exactly where he said he would be. Apparently arguing with Gaius, as well. Part of her felt bad for eavesdropping, as it wasn't very princess like, but she was too intrigued not to with a beginning like that.

"Bubbles, you don't get it. These sweets are a rare breed. This is stuff people dream of. They could go for a couple hundred gold at auction, easy."

"What in Naga's name are you even talking about?" Robin sounded baffled. "At what back-alley auction do they sell candy that has been sitting in a man's pocket for the better part of a month?"

"Gah! You wouldn't know a good sweet if it smacked you in the face," Gaius groused and slapped his thigh. "You can come out now, Princess. I'm done with this guy. I think I'll go take my business elsewhere."

Lucina flinched. Had she really been found out that quickly? She thought she was being quiet, but did Gaius really hear her approach?

"'Princess?'" Robin mumbled, realization quickly dawning on him. "L-Lucina?"

The princess in question sighed in resignation before stepping out from behind the wagon.

"My apologies."

Gaius smirked and winked at her as he walked past, while Robin watched on from his seat on the back of his wagon. Her father proved right once again, as Robin was holding a mug filled to the brim with black coffee.

' _Father sure knows this man well,'_ Lucina thought to herself as she watched him take a long drink.

"He sure is a cocky one," Robin commented and nodded at the thief as he departed. "But not very bright. I keep telling him he needs to learn to love cherry flavor, because there is not a single person in the world that is going to buy that sweaty candy that he keeps, but does he listen to me? Noooooo."

Robin muttered a few more choice words under his breath and straightened out his Grandmaster's cloak hotly. This must not have been the first time the two friends had had this discussion.

"Anyways, are you here for some coffee?" Robin asked and jerked a thumb towards the wagon's interior. "It's still nice and fresh. Frederickson can really make a mean cup of joe."

"I'm not here for the coffee," she responded with a slight huff. "There's actually something else I wanted to discuss with you."

"Something other than what we talked about before?"

Lucina nodded.

"Well, alright," Robin said and repositioned himself so that he was facing her, then motioned for her to proceed. "Shoot."

Lucina crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her back foot, all the while giving the tactician a very accusatory look.

"Why is it that while the rest of us our marching, our tactician was in a wagon sound asleep?"

Instead of getting angry at her, or even defending himself like she had been expecting, Robin simply tilted his head to the side and gave her a questioning look.

"I thought you already knew why?"

"Knew what?" Lucina frowned.

"You mean you really don't know?"

"No, I do not!" Lucina snapped and stomped her foot. She was not one to play word games like this, and Robin's seemingly innocent questioning was starting to get on her nerves. "Explain yourself."

"Y-yes ma'am," Robin stammered sheepishly and scratched at his cheek before explaining. "I, uh, may have stayed up the night before going over battle plans and strategies,

Lucina's eyes widened. He had spent the night working?

"It's one of my more unhealthy habits," Robin admitted. "But, it can't be helped sometimes. Being a tactician is a lot of work, who would have thought?"

"…You mean when I walked in on you this morning when you were asleep in the-"

"I had just finished with all of my work, yes," Robin finished for her. After a moment, the tactician smiled. "Wait, did you really think I was sleeping on that table just for the hell of it?"

Lucina bit her lip and looked away. Now that she gave it thought, that didn't sound kind of foolish. Who sleeps on a table when there's a perfectly good bedroll a few tents over?

"Maybe?"

Instead of getting angry like she had assuredly expected this time, Robin broke out in a fit of laughter.

"All of the maps and stuff didn't tip you off?" He said in-between fits of laughter.

Lucina felt her face flush.

"I don't think it's _that_ humorous," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry for laughing so much. It really isn't that funny," Robin chuckled and shook his head. "It's just your father and I had a conversation that went just like this one back when I first signed on as tactician."

"Really?" Lucina asked and finally lifted her eyes from the ground. She had thought she had heard all of her father's stories, but this one was unfamiliar to her.

"Yep, and it was right before our first trip to Regna Ferox," Robin recounted. The man had this far off look in his eyes that only grew more prominent as he continued to reminisce. "I had stayed up the night before working because it was basically my first real day on the job. I really wanted to impress, but of course, your father had the same reaction you did. I believe he said something along the lines of 'what kind of genius tactician goes without sleeping?' Let me tell you, it took some smooth talking on my end to get him to finally relent on it."

Lucina made a thoughtful sound as she gave the Grandmaster a once over. She had heard stories of the legendary Grandmaster of Ylisse, but never anything like this. The stories she had been told as a child were always about his military exploits and his ability to snap victory from the claws of defeat. Nothing like this.

"What was that?"

Lucina blinked a few times and focused her gaze back on the man before her.

"What was what?"

"You just made a sound like you were surprised about something," Robin explained and leaned back on his hands. "Was my story really that interesting?"

"Nothing gets by you, does it?" She felt herself smiling slightly despite her previous embarrassment.

Robin shrugged, clearly pleased by the praise, but the look curiosity on his face wasn't letting up.

"You're just…" Lucina paused briefly as she thought of an inoffensive way to word her next sentence. "Different… from what I was expecting."

He rose an eyebrow at her words, but it didn't take him long to understand what she was getting at.

"You mean different from the future me?"

"Yes," she nodded.

Robin's eyes were still curious, but his mouth had curved down into a frown. That bit of information seemed to upset him.

"What was I like in the future? If you don't mind me asking."

Lucina hesitated. She didn't exactly want to tell Robin what he was like in her timeline, but the look on his face was beginning to get slightly painful to look at. This wasn't exactly what she was intending to talk about when she had first come over, but this man seemed to have a way with conversations. One second it was about one thing, and the next it was about another! It was something the princess was not accustomed to.

Sighing internally, Lucina sat down opposite Robin.

"To be honest, I didn't know much about you. I mostly heard about you from stories," she answered truthfully.

"And I take it they weren't stories like the one earlier," Robin deduced.

"Correct," Lucina frowned slightly, but she made sure to give it to him straight this time. "They were always of your impressive feats as Grandmaster. About how you squashed an enemy ambush without losing a single man, or how you routed an enemy force even when outnumbered. You had a very accomplished career as Grandmaster."

"…But?"

"But," Lucina swallowed before continuing. "Due to your cunning and occasionally ruthless tactics, our enemies labeled you as 'The Wolf of Ylisse.' It followed you to your death."

Robin closed his eyes and turned away, clicking his tongue slightly as he did so. His reaction to this news made Lucina wonder if he had expected this answer. It looked as if his worries had been confirmed, somehow. It was a far-fetched theory, but as Lucina was beginning to learn, Robin was full of surprises.

After a few seconds of silence, Robin peeked at Lucina out of the corner of his eye.

"No ridiculous, yet endearing stories?"

"No," she shook her head. "I'm sorry."

Robin let out a deep sigh, but he wasn't looking as nearly as upset as he had when he first heard the news. He looked more thoughtful than anything.

"I wonder what the difference was between he and I," she heard Robin whisper under his breath.

Lucina watched him curiously for a moment before feeling a pang of guilt and turned away. A part of her wanted to say something encouraging, but it wasn't really her place to do so. They had only _really_ known each other for a day, after all. He asked about his future self, and she told her. There was no other obligation for her to meet. It was simple as that.

And yet, there was just something about this man… His work ethic was questionable (not that she was one to talk) and his humor was sometimes a little coarse, but there was a layer of caring and good-naturedness beneath that. It was nothing like the man she had been expecting, nor the one she had heard of. There was just something about this Robin that made you want to stick around for a little while.

Was this how Robin became so close to the others? Was this how he found so much success? This type of friendship?

She wasn't sure, but it was something she could ponder over a mug of coffee.

"Uncle Frederick makes good coffee, you say?" Lucina glanced at him.

Robin's head suddenly snapped up, his gloomy expression was all but gone.

"Like you wouldn't believe!"

* * *

Chrom smiled on as he watched his daughter accept the offered mug of coffee. Robin might have been the tactician of the group, but this time it was Chrom's plan that went off without a hitch. It felt pretty good, if he were being completely honest. Robin had always been described as the brains of the two. while Chrom was the brawn, but that time was coming to a close!

"What are you smiling at?" Sumia raised an eyebrow at her husband.

Chrom motioned towards Lucina and Robin as they exchanged small-talk over a cup of Frederick's famous coffee.

Sumia followed his line of sight until she too was looking at the two as well.

"Oh, it looks like those two are getting along," Sumia noted happily, but after a second she frowned and turned back to Chrom. "That still doesn't explain why you're so pleased. Unless…"

Sumia's eyes widened in horror as a thought crossed her mind.

"Oh gods, you're trying to set them up!" Sumia cried and smacked her husband on the arm. "You sicko! You sick, sick, sicko!"

"What?!" Chrom exclaimed, the happiness draining from his face in a quarter of a second. "No! No, no, no! Gods, no."

He had to repress a shiver before continuing.

"Good gods, never in a million years. Just what kind of father do you take me for?"

"Sorry," Sumia mumbled as she began to calm down. "I guess I kind of jumped to conclusions there."

The exalt nodded very adamantly and gave her a look that screamed 'you think so?!'

"Then what are- were you so pleased about?"

"I was just glad to see that she was making a friend," Chrom replied with a shrug. "And there would be none I would trust more than Robin to be her first among the Shepherds."

"He does have a way of befriending people," Sumia admitted fondly. She remembered how Robin would test her pies whenever she had baked any for Chrom, or how the two would often dish about a book one of them had read, and that was just one example out of dozens. The tactician had a habit of finding himself in close relationships with the rest of his subordinates. It was somewhat impressive, really.

"Exactly. As strong as she is, it never hurts to have a friend to open up to."

Sumia glanced at Chrom out of the corner of her eye, understanding his intentions just a little more now. She remembered how distraught Chrom had been after the death of his sister back during the Plegian War. He hadn't said so at the time, but later in private Chrom had spoken in length about how much Sumia's support had to meant to him, and the same went for Robin's and the rest of the Shepherds'. Without it, Chrom had worried he might not have had the strength and resolve to continue on. Thinking about those nights when the two had stayed up late talking and comforting one another reminded Sumia how much she truly loved her husband. He had always been so strong-willed and determined, it was one of the few times she had gotten to see his sensitive side.

It truly would be beneficial if Lucina could find that type of trusting with someone.

"Why don't we grab those two and get some lunch?" Sumia beamed and grabbed Chrom by the hand.

"Good call," Chrom grinned and squeezed her hand. "I'm always game for some bear."

Sumia rolled her eyes, but still let out a little giggle as the two began to walk towards Robin and Lucina.

"Wait a sec!"

Sumia and Chrom turned to see Gaius jog up to the two, clearly out of breath.

"Was there something you needed, Gaius?" Chrom asked, giving the thief a curious look.

"Y-yeah, just give me a second," Gaius panted with his hands on his knees.

The exalt and queen stood there awkwardly while the ginger gasped for air. Chrom considered just slowly backing away, but after a few moments Gaius began to speak.

"Alright," Gaius stood back up and clapped his hands together. "I've got quite the proposition-"

"I'm not interested in your pocket-candy," Chrom cut him off. "Come on, Sumia. Let's go get some lunch."

Sumia gave Gaius an apologetic look and followed after Chrom, but she looked too bemused with the situation for it to really look all that apologetic.

"C'mon, Blue! You don't know what you're missing! What about you, Stumbles? I know you've got a sweet tooth on you!"

* * *

The Shepherds arrived in Port Ferox two days later. Robin could hardly believe how much the small port city had changed within such a short time period. When they had first come to defend the town a few weeks back, the place had been barren save the Valmese soldiers. That wasn't the case now, however, as Basilio and Flavia had garrisoned the city with some of their soldiers in the off chance that Port Ferox had to fight off any invaders.

It was so jampacked with people that it became difficult for the group to even navigate the streets. If they didn't have to worry about bumping into someone with a sword, they had to worry about the countless of deckhands carrying ship cargo.

"Wooow," Lissa gasped from beside Robin. "It's incredible!"

"It really is," he gaped at the harbor. The sight surprised him even, and he knew what to expect.

The other and much more breathtaking difference in the coastal town was the thousand ships that clogged the docks.

"I've never seen so many ships in one place," Chrom stared wide-eyed at the endless lines of boats. "How in the world did Plegia own this many sea-ready boats?"

"It is quite the sight," Lucina nodded. Robin could tell she was trying to hide her surprise, but her eyes still shone with excitement and wonder.

"Milord!"

Frederick galloped through the street, weaving through the horde of people to return to the group.

"The ships are all accounted for," the knight reported on his return. "All thousand are stationed in Port Ferox's harbor."

"What about the rest of the deal?" Robin asked.

"Plegia indeed held to their end of the bargain," Frederick replied. "The flag ship carries enough gold to fund our campaign three times over."

"Well, that's a pleasant surprise," Chrom commented glibly. "I had my doubts, but they truly pulled through in the end."

"Indeed," Frederick agreed. "The captain says that we'll be able to set out by dawn."

"Then inform everyone to board the flag ship and get settled in. We leave at sun's first light."

Frederick nodded and spurred his horse towards the back of the line to inform the others.

"I wonder what sailing is like," Chrom pondered aloud as he imagined bobbing across the ocean's blue waves. "I've never actually been on a boat before."

"Neither have I," Robin said with a smile. "But, I've always wanted to sail the ocean in a vessel quite like these. To feel the ocean wind through your hair as the boat gently rocks as the waves slap up against it… I know we're heading for a war, but I'm still somewhat excited."

Come dawn, Robin would live to regret those words.

* * *

 _ **Oh, Chrom. If only you knew what you were starting. He'll never get to be the brains of the operation with choices like that!**_

 _ **On an unrelated note, how about that Nintendo conference? Switch hype! That new Fire Emblem game looked promising. If it really is a Warriors' style game I'll be sooooo happy.**_

 _ **I hope you enjoyed the second chapter. In the next installment, we'll get to the Flames on The Blue mission of Awakening! See you then!**_


	3. Chapter 3

Robin stumbled across the deck, grabbing on to anything sturdy as he navigated himself towards the ship's railing.

"Dumb boat," he grunted as he fell against the main mast. "Stupid waves."

It had been near a week since the army had left port. The first few days of the trip had been fine; somewhat fun even. As he expected, the sights of the ocean had been very beautiful. Watching the sun rise over the blue horizon, then later watching it set, had been as amazing as the tactician had expected.

That was only for the first two days. It didn't take him long to realize that while the sun was neither rising or falling, it was simply beating down on the ship deck without any reprieve. Staring out at the ocean became a lot less appealing once the sunburn had become more and more apparent, and more and more painful.

Then there was the constant rocking. Oh gods, the rocking. For the first few days, it didn't bother him at all. It was somewhat comforting, even. Sort of like being rocked to sleep. It wasn't till the third night, when Robin lie awake in bed, that he realized how the constant swaying of the boat was infuriating! It was like every time he closed his eyes, all he could think about was how the bed was slowly tilting back and forth, on and on. After that, he couldn't stop noticing the movement. Then the nausea set in. Ever since, he had been plagued with bouts of seasickness.

The pleasantness of being on the deck at night still remained, though. With such darkness, it was very easy to see all the stars in the sky; there even seemed to be more out on the ocean! It was like the night sky took up your entire field of vision.

Then to have the only light coming from the moon and a few stray lanterns… it was amazing. If he didn't need sleep, Robin would be perfectly content spending his nights looking up at the night sky in wonder.

"Stupid frickin' boat."

When he finally reached the railing, he let out a sigh of relief. That had been more difficult than necessary.

Looking up at the sky, Robin let the moment envelop him. He accepted the calm and serenity. When he looked up at the stars like this, it felt like everything else blurred. They were still there, of course. There was still a war to fight, that didn't change. His nausea was still there too. But, when he looked at the night sky like this, that stuff just didn't press on him as much.

Robin took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. Then again, and again, until he had a comfortable rhythm going.

The sky was really clear that night. The constellations were easy to spot out.

Thanks to some light reading Robin had done back during their break after the Plegian War, he had some knowledge on star formations. Constellations always fascinated him, mostly because of the history that each one held and what they resembled. They all had these neat sounding names and an interesting backstory that went with them. Robin was a connoisseur for neat stuff.

His favorite, funnily enough, was Libra, which depicted a balance scale. Robin didn't like it because of a reason as silly as that, of course, but because of what that scale meant. He read that one of the potential reasons for this constellation's name was because the sun would always pass across the face of it during the autumnal equinox, when day and night are of roughly equal length. Because of this, the heavens would be 'balanced.'

It was little tidbits of knowledge like that one that had hooked Robin in the first place. It was just so cool.

"I wonder if they really are, though," Robin whispered to himself as he gazed at the stars.

After hearing about Grima and Naga, the 'heavens' really didn't sound all that balanced.

"Is that you, Robin?"

The tactician flinched, as he wasn't expecting another voice to cut through the darkness. Someone was out here with him?

Looking across the deck, he could faintly see another figure standing a little way away. It was dark so it was hard to see, but thanks to a little light from the moon, he recognized the familiar form.

Talk about good timing. His thought process was beginning to drift back to something dark and unsavory.

"It is," Robin replied, trying to make as little noise as possible as he made his way towards Lucina. "Didn't think I'd be having company tonight."

As he got into view, he could see the princess shrug.

"Neither did I," Lucina concurred. "If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing out here so late? I thought everyone to be sleeping."

"I had trouble getting to sleep, so I thought I'd do a little stargazing."

Even though it was dark, Robin could see the faint outlines of a smile.

"What a coincidence, so was I."

"Fancy yourself a stargazer, do you?" Robin grinned, placing his hands on the railing to steady himself as he looked at the sky.

"You could say that," she admitted, mirroring his movements. "It's been a hobby of mine ever since I was a girl."

"Really?" Robin hummed in surprise. "I didn't think a child would find a bunch of bright lights all that interesting."

Lucina let out a soft laugh, surprising the tactician even more.

"To be honest, I didn't really. Not at first, at least."

"What changed your mind, then?" Robin asked, genuinely intrigued now. "If you don't mind my asking, that is."

"It's fine," Lucina shook her head before explaining. "My mother would often take me out at night so that we could look at the constellations together."

"Sumia?" He rose an eyebrow. "I didn't peg her as that type."

"Well, you know Mother. She always enjoyed a good story."

Robin nodded. He was just thinking about how interesting some of the stories were, so a bookworm like Sumia must have had a heyday with it.

He made a mental note to bring it up with her sometime.

"That sounds nice."

"It really was," Lucina smiled fondly. "We'd often cuddle up to fight the cool air of the night. On occasion, if I had been good during the day, she'd even let me drink hot cocoa. And then mother would point out the constellations and explain the story behind them until dawn. I was always so fascinated by them… Sometimes we would even rope in Father and Cynthia to join us."

That was a name he hadn't hear before.

"Cynthia?"

"Oh!" Lucina's eyes widened, realizing her blunder. "Uh, s-she was just a friend of the family. Sort of like Uncle Frederick."

"You're a bad liar, Lucina," Robin chuckled and waved her off. That was clearly some family member. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"W-well, what about you, then?" Lucina hurriedly changed subjects.

"My reasoning isn't as special as that, I'm afraid," he said and looked away. "Like your mother, I just found their history fascinating. It does help that they're nice to look at, I will admit."

"There's nothing wrong with scholarly pursuits," Lucina pointed out.

"I suppose not," Robin nodded. "Still, what I wouldn't give to have a story like that."

And that was the truth. Robin never knew his family, so every time someone told these sweet memories that involved family bonding like that, he always got a little bit envious. That feeling lessened over time as he became more comfortable with the Shepherds, but it still reared its face once and awhile.

Lucina didn't respond. Silence hung on the air, with the only thing that could be heard was the waves slapping against the boat. Maybe she took it the wrong way?

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I didn't mean to insinuate that I wish-"

"No, no, it's quite alright," Lucina interrupted him. "I understood what you meant. It's just been so long since I've talked to you that I had forgotten about your… past."

Robin rose an eyebrow at her until he realized that she had meant his future self. Gods, was that going to continue to confuse him.

There were a few seconds of silence before Lucina spoke again.

"Forgive me, Robin," Lucina smiled, but even in the darkness Robin could tell its fakeness. "It seems that trivial matters such as this can't even be discussed without the dark side of my future hovering over us."

The broadness of that statement was not lost on him. If your entire existence revolved around one thing, it'd be hard not to see traces of it everywhere you looked. Every conversation she had, every battle she fought, it would all be tinged by that apocalyptic future she came from.

Once again, Robin felt pity for her. He never once considered his loss of memories to be a blessing, but if his past was as terrible as Lucina's, maybe it was one.

He never thought that the term 'ignorance is bliss' would actually be appropriate here.

"Don't let it worry you. It's inevitable, really," he replied simply. "I just consider myself lucky that you choose to share it with me."

Lucina blinked a few times, slightly baffled by Robin's choice of words.

"Why wouldn't I? You are the tactician, after all."

"…Right."

Robin's hands clenched the railing.

"That's right, I'm just the tactician," Robin mumbled, his eyes glazing over as he stared out to sea.

' _Curse you, heart! What are you doing to me?'_ The tactician thought bitterly to himself. _Dumb! Dumb, dumb, dumb!_

Robin had always been a logical man- to a fault, even. If anyone else had said that, it would have been a nonissue. He wasn't one to seriously delve into deeper meanings. Words were just words; it was someone's actions that really mattered.

She wasn't even wrong in saying that in the first place. He _was_ the tactician! Knowing and understanding his subordinates could only prove helpful in his line of work. It was how he operated!

Yet, hearing her say those words like that sent a knife right through his heart.

' _Love is illogical. Right down to its core._ '

"Are you alright, Robin?" Lucina asked. She had been watching him this entire time with a confused expression on her face.

"Y-yeah, yeah of course I am. Well, I guess in a truer since, I'm not. Seasickness is just acting up again. Odd how that works out, isn't it? It's weird that way. One moment you're perfectly fine, and the next, it feels like molten hot lava in your gut. I guess it's kind of like that one saying, 'when the ship's a-rocking, don't come knocking!' Get it? Since you wouldn't want to walk in on someone puking their guts out. That's why you knock. Like, I know that saying is usually used in regards to intercourse, but I think it's appropriate here since we're on a boat and all. Well, you know how what I mean, right?"

Robin gasped for air after he finished. He... he didn't fully understand what just happened there. He had opened his mouth to speak, and then that happened.

The confusion on Lucina's face probably doubled.

"O-okeydokey then," Robin stammered after a few moments of complete and utter silence. "I think I'll go try and get some rest. I wouldn't want to expel the contents of my stomach in front of a lady. You understand."

"Of course?" she nodded slowly, her eyes following him as he hurriedly departed. It was pretty much a run. "…Good night?"

Robin waited until he was below deck to facepalm so hard that it left a red handprint in its wake.

Did he honest to Naga say the word 'intercourse' in the middle of that?

* * *

The next morning came entirely too quickly.

"I hate boats. I _hate_ boats. Hate 'em. Gods, I hate them so much," Robin mumbled piteously as he hung over the railing of their flagship. "Let it be known that humans were never meant to take to the sea. We aren't amphibians, damn it! Traveling by boat is just unorthodocks!"

The deck of the flagship went completely quiet save for the sound of a few people letting out exasperated sighs.

" _Un-ortho-docks_ ," he repeated and turned around with a weak grin. "Get it?"

"I assure you, everyone got it," Chrom sighed and leaned on the railing beside him. "For someone so seasick, you sure have a lot of pep."

"Puns will always be funny, Chrom," Robin informed him very seriously.

What he said was true, though. Robin was feeling surprisingly peppy all things considered. Despite all the self-loathing and embarrassment from last night, he slept very soundly. Sure, it was only for a couple of hours, but it was a very refreshing couple of hours.

And if he moped around every time he made a fool of himself, he'd be eternally mopey. Always try to be optimistic! That was _Tactics for Beginners_ first chapter, after all.

"Try staring at a single point on the horizon," Cordelia advised as she walked past carrying a load of equipment. "I hear that helps."

"I'll try that," he murmured his reply and set his gaze off in the distance. "At least the view is nice."

"It is pretty breathtaking," Chrom agreed and turned his head to admire the scenery. "It's like our troubles are a lifetime away out here."

"Except for the sea sickness, you mean."

"Yes, there is that," the exalt chuckled and glanced at his downcast friend. "How is it that you're still seasick, even? After a week, one would think you'd grow accustomed to it."

"Yeah, rub it in why don't you," Robin huffed and stood straight.

"Maybe I just have sturdier legs than you, friend."

Chrom laughed, feeling rather pleased with the situation. He remembered how Robin would crack jokes at him when he got motion sickness from riding on Sumia's pegasus, so it was nice for the shoe to be on the other foot for a change.

Lucina chose that exact moment to walk onto the deck, unknowingly rubbing the salt only further in the tactician's wounds.

"Ah, good morning, Lucina," Chrom greeted with a smile.

Robin's eyes followed the princess as she walked over to the two. He felt a strange combination of happiness, shame, and annoyance at the sight of her. On the one hand, he was always happy to have another chance to talk to her, despite the mishap the night before. Might that be a selfish want? Could be, but it's not like conversing ever hurt anyone. As long his feelings didn't interfere with his duties, what did it matter? He might do something dumb like he had the night before, but as long as it stayed off the battlefield, there was no harm. He just had to figure out how to combat his stupidity, and it'd be fine!

Then on the other hand, she was walking perfectly. There wasn't even a slight sway in her step. Not one single stumble. It was like she wasn't even on this godsdamned boat.

"Glad to know it runs in the genes" Robin grumbled under his breath, earning a chuckle from his friend.

"Good morning, Father… and Robin," Lucina nodded at both, her eyes lingering on Robin. "Still not feeling well?"

"Oh, I assure you," Robin hesitated before cracking a smile. "I'm having a whale of a good time over here."

Chrom sighed at the pun, while Lucina looked as if she truly believed him.

"Just ignore him," Chrom said. "He's been making these puns all day."

"You mean… he's not feeling better?"

Chrom shook his head, causing his daughter to frown and furrow her brow in thought.

"Come on, Chrom," Robin grinned. "You've got to admit that it's pretty _admiralable_ of me to think up all of these."

"If you do it one more time, I swear to Naga I will-"

"Oh!" Lucina exclaimed with a laugh. "I get it! We're on a boat, and whales live in the ocean. Very clever!"

The two both stopped their bickering and turned towards the princess, who was looking awfully pleased with herself for deciphering that one.

"I take it humor's not your strong suit?" Robin asked with a bemused expression. Chrom looked like he was ready to deck the man if he cracked any jokes.

"No, comedy's never been my forte, so to speak," she replied, looking a little downtrodden before perking up again. "The nautical puns are quite humorous, however. I thoroughly enjoy them."

"Glad to hear it," Robin bit back a snicker, earning him an elbow in the ribs from Chrom.

"Now that _we're done_ with the puns," Chrom shot Robin an accusatory glare, who held up his hands in deference. "There's something I actually wanted to discuss with you, Lucina."

Robin looked back and forth between the two, once again feeling out of place in these parent-child situations.

"I'll take my leave, then. I should have been looking at maps all of this time anyways."

"No, this involves you too, Robin," Chrom shook his head. "Sumia and Lissa should be here as well, but Sumia's still out scouting and knowing Lissa, she's probably still asleep."

Robin exhaled slowly. It must have been something important for him to be clumped in with the rest of Chrom's immediate family. Not that the two weren't like brothers, but when Chrom said he had something he wished to discuss with Lucina, he had assumed it was something personal. The way he had said it was awfully fatherly.

It looked like he was in for another serious conversation. Yippee.

"…If you insist," Robin shrugged.

"I do," Chrom nodded firmly and turned back to his daughter. "I apologize if this sounds a little harsh, but I feel I should know. Lucina, after you stopped Emm's assassination, why didn't you stay with us?"

Robin's eyebrows raised as the thought occurred to him as well. Why _didn't_ she stay with the group? If they had the knowledge that they had now, things could have been different. The thought that maybe even Emmeryn could have lived crossed his mind a few dozen times in the span of a few seconds.

Lucina, on the other hand, looked as if she had been expecting this question.

"I felt that I had no other choice," Lucina answered truthfully. "I could not risk altering the future any more than necessary. My mission was, and still is, to prevent the return of Grima."

"What about Emmeryn, then?" Robin blurted out without thinking. He knew it was indelicate to ask such a thing, but he had to know.

"I tried to prevent it," Lucina averted their gazes, her words heavy with regret. "But in the end, all I did was stall it. The river of time always favors its original course."

Robin cursed under his breath and turned to the ship's railing. Knowing that the exalt's death wasn't his fault surprisingly didn't make him feel any less guilty whatsoever.

"You did what you could," Chrom comforted his daughter, but he also looked upset by the news.

"And that's still not enough," Lucina's usually strong voice quavered somewhat. "There have been many times when I have thought that maybe things had been changed, but time always went back to its original course. The thought often crosses my mind that perhaps if I did something differently…"

"Don't. You were alone in this mission, and you've done your best. You did save me, after all. Some things have changed."

Lucina brightened considerably at her father's words, but she didn't look entirely convinced.

"You're kind, Father, but nothing is certain. As much as I loathe to say this, time could still have its way."

"Then…" Chrom paused and frowned, the dots connecting in his brain. "Do you know how I die?"

Both Robin and Chrom watched Lucina intently as she formed an answer.

"I do, but they were only rumors," she confessed. "I was told that you fell in a great battle to sway destiny itself."

"I had expected as much," Chrom sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"But, that's not all."

Lucina's eyes flickered to Robin, this going unnoticed by the two.

"You were murdered; betrayed by your closest friend."

' _This - not - fault…_ '

"Gah!"

Robin fell to his knees, clutching his head in pain.

' _Promise - escape - this place…'_

"Robin!"

Chrom rushed forwards and knelt beside his friend. "What's wrong?! Is it Validar again?"

Lucina had been moving towards him as well, but stopped at the mention of Validar, her eyes widening.

Robin didn't answer, as the pain didn't allow him to. It felt like someone had taken an ice-pick to his skull and was trying to pierce through. The pain had radiated to the rest of his body, making it impossible for him to stand, let alone move.

And those words… he could have sworn he heard someone speaking to him.

"Robin!" Chrom shouted once more, this time shaking him.

As quickly as it had come, the pain began to subside. It was startling, really, and actually somewhat frightening. It was much different than from the time he had talked to Validar. Back then, it was just dull aches with the occasional spike in pain as Validar spoke to him. The pain this time was fleeting, but gut-wrenching. It was the worst pain he had ever experienced, and yet, it was already gone!

Robin opened his mouth to speak, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.

"I-I am fine," he said through gritted teeth. "I-it was just a sudden migraine. I'm fine. D-don't mind me."

"The hell you are!" Chrom scoffed and lifted him to his feet. "You're going to a healer right this instant."

"I said it was fine."

"You just collapsed! If that happened on the battlefield, you'd be as good as dead!"

"But, it didn't," Robin pointed out weakly. "Now then, can we stop worrying about me and get on with the story?"

He tried to break away from Chrom's grip, but it was no use. The man had a vice grip, and Robin was still incredibly weak.

"We can continue it later. You, on the other hand, are going to go rest. _Now_."

"…Fine," Robin relented finally. "And unless you want to give people more fuel for their dirty fantasies, I advise you go ahead and let go of me."

Chrom smirked and let go of his friend, who stumbled forwards before getting ahold of himself. He couldn't be too terribly injured if he was still cracking jokes.

Dusting off his coat, Robin turned to look at Chrom and Lucina.

"Just make sure I don't miss anything important, okay?"

"I'll make sure to send someone for you should something happen," Chrom assured.

"Good, good," Robin nodded and moved to leave, but stopping once more. "And make sure to fill me on everything later?"

"Yes, yes," Chrom rolled his eyes and shooed him off. "Now get going before I have Frederick carry you."

"Frederick?"

Robin's eyes darted across the deck. The large, menacing knight was already staring at him.

Without another word, the tactician scurried off before anything else could be said on the matter. That was no empty threat, as he was already fully aware.

Chrom chuckled and shook his head, but the expression on his face was anything but positive.

"We all appreciate the work he does, but the man just doesn't understand how to take a break," the exalt let out an exasperated sigh. "For Naga's sake, we're on a month-long voyage. Get some sleep like everyone else."

Lucina hummed in response, her eyes following the disgruntled Shepherd as he left.

* * *

Robin was greeted by a familiar face when he arrived at the infirmary.

"Howdy, Robin!" Lissa grinned at him.

The tactician nodded a lazy greeting, his eyes wondering around the ill-lit room as he entered. Lissa was sitting in a wooden chair in the back of the room, her feet resting on one of the infirmary's two unused beds as she filed her nails. The room itself wasn't all that impressive, but he hadn't expected much from a boat's infirmary. Besides, it wasn't like he hadn't endured worse before.

"There something I can do for ya?" The sprightly princess asked and hopped to her feet.

"Yeah," he said absently, his eyes still looking around. "I thought Lon'qu down here with you. Isn't he technically still your bodyguard?"

"Robin."

Robin flinched, turning on his heel to face the sudden voice. Sure enough, the stoic swordsman had been there all along, brooding silently in the corner with his arms crossed. That was something he was awfully good at.

"Lon'qu's mad at me, so he's sulking in the corner," Lissa pouted, but it looked like she was trying to hold back laughter.

Raising an eyebrow, Robin looked back and forth between the two.

"Is there something I need to know about?"

"No," Lon'qu grunted and turned his head away.

"While he was asleep, I painted his nails!" Lissa exploded with a fit of giggles.

"Damn it, woman!" Lissa's husband barked and fled the scene.

Robin let out a snort as he watched the swordsman stomp off, his hands purposefully shoved in his pockets. Robin didn't know what was more impressive: that Lon'qu was actually close enough to a woman that he could fall asleep in their presence, or that Lissa was able to get the drop on him.

"He doesn't make that face like you do, but you know this might be just as good."

"Best be careful," Robin warned and took a seat on the bed closest to Lissa. "You wouldn't want to give your poor husband a heart attack."

Lissa laughed, clearly enjoying herself. Robin would never say it, but he blessed his lucky stars that she found Lon'qu. Now he didn't have to be the victim of her damned pranks.

He had never looked at a frog the same way since.

"So, did you need something, or did you just come down to chat?" The blonde asked as she wiped away a stray tear.

"Well, I personally don't need anything. Your brother, on the other hand, thought I should come down here."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"I guess you could say I had a bit of a migraine up topside," he admitted flippantly. "But, it's already passed, so there's nothing you can really do for me. In fact, I might as well just go. Tell Chrom I came down if he asks, okay?"

Robin stood to leave, but Lissa pushed him back down by his shoulders.

"Not so fast mister," Lissa frowned at him. That disapproving frown must have ran through the family.

Lissa held out her index finger close to his face.

"Follow my finger with your eyes."

Moving it slowly back and forth, Lissa observed Robin's eyes as he followed it.

"Hmhm," the princess hummed and placed her hands on his skull, lightly feeling around. "Nothing feels off. Does it hurt anywhere I touch?"

"Nope."

"Any nausea? Blurred vision? Sleepiness?"

"Nothing other than the occasional bout of sea sickness, no."

Lissa let go of his head and took a step back, placing a thumb on her chin as she examined him more closely.

"Seeing as we're on a boat in the middle of nowhere, there's not much I can do for you, other than to tell you to come back down if the pain returns."

"See?" Robin threw his hands in the air and stood back up. "Nothing you can do for me. Just as I thought."

"Not so fast, buster!" Lissa pushed him back onto the bed. "That doesn't mean there's nothing _you_ can't do."

Robin threw his head back and groaned.

"When's the last time you've gotten a full night's sleep, huh?" Lissa asked, poking him in the shoulder.

"Last night!"

"And how many hours did you get?"

"…Four?"

"That's barely anything," Lissa sighed and shook her head.

"Well, I've been busy," Robin defended weakly. He knew that argument wouldn't really work, but it was always worth a shot. Always fight back in the face of adversity! Chapter six of _Tactics for Beginners._

"Exactly my point! These migraines have probably been coming on because you're not getting enough sleep. Pair that up with the stress of the past few weeks, and boom. You've got yourself one heck of a headache."

Robin pursed his lips, but didn't say anything. Lissa always acted so childish and carefree, that he often forgot that she was quite the physician. It was hard to argue with her when she was acting all reasonable like this.

But, that didn't mean he wouldn't try.

"I'll tell you what, once the war is over, I'll sleep as much as you want. Hell, I'll even sleep more than you want."

"Not good enough," Lissa said and flicked his shoulder. "I want you to get _at least_ six hours a day starting now. I'd ask for eight, but I know you couldn't keep to that."

"Liiiissa," Robin sighed. "You know I can't promise that."

"Once I tell Frederick and Cordelia about this you can."

Robin's eyes widened. Not the Frederick card again. Naga, she was even bringing in his other half.

"You wouldn't…"

If Lissa got those two goons on his case, he'd never hear the end of it! By themselves, they were fine. Frederick was… well, Frederick, and Cordelia could be quite fun to hang around. He loved the both of them very, very much.

But, when you put the two in the same room and put them on a common task, it was like Mister and Misses No-Fun had taken to the scene. Never had Robin witnessed such commitments to follow the rules. If he didn't know any better, he'd guess that it was those two's combined brainpower that created the infamous Shepherd's Rulebook.

Gods, he could picture it now. Every dinner, they'd remind him to go to bed early. Every time that Robin would try to stay up, those two would hunt him down and force him to sleep. Those two would badger him down so much that instead of six hours it'd be more like a solid ten. It was the stuff of nightmares.

That just couldn't be.

"Oh, I totally would."

Robin cursed and snapped his fingers. She totally would.

"Fine, fine! You win," Robin relented. "I'll make sure to get some sleep."

"Good!" Lissa nodded, looking awfully smug.

"It looks like it's going to have to wait, though," Robin said and stood up. Saved by the bell!

"What?" Lissa blinked. "Why?"

Robin motioned to the door, where Frederick was standing in the entry way watching the two.

"That's why."

Lissa's eyes widened. She hadn't noticed the knight appear.

"I take it I'm needed on deck?" Robin asked the retainer with a raised eyebrow.

"You would be corrected," Frederick confirmed. "Both of you, actually."

Robin sighed slightly and nodded. If the both of them were required, that could only mean one thing. The enemy must have been spotted.

"Let's go, then."

Robin walked out of the room, with Lissa and Frederick following close behind.

As they walked, Robin's mind raced a hundred miles a minute. Various strategies and formations crossed his mind. Seeing as he had never fought at sea before, the tactician was already trying to think of the best way to engage an enemy when outnumbered and out at sea. It was time to get his tactician on.

However, all of that ceased when the big lug opened his mouth.

"And in regards to your sleeping patterns," Frederick piped up from behind the duo as they walked. "Cordelia and I shall make sure you get enough sleep without any interruptions or distractions."

"Curse you, Frederickson."

* * *

When Robin returned to the deck after his brief absence, he could already tell the mood had changed greatly. He would account that to the startling lack of puns when he wasn't around, but that would just be wishful thinking. The way that the Shepherds were all crowded around Sumia had confirmed his suspicions, seeing as how she was out scouting before.

The presence of the khans was also a pretty big giveaway.

Robin looked around as he strode to where Chrom was. It looked like everyone that needed to be present was. Shepherds, Chrom and his family, and the khans. The gang was all here.

"I take it that it wasn't land that was spotted?" Robin asked as he came to a stop.

"No," Chrom shook his hand and spared a glance at his disturbed wife. "Why don't you fill Robin and the khans in, Sumia."

Sumia nodded and stepped forwards.

"The other pegasus knights and I spotted Valmese ships on the horizon," Sumia said gravely and looked down to her twiddling thumbs. "Their fleet matches ours, ship for ship."

Robin clicked his tongue and looked towards the horizon, but no ship could be seen yet. They had time, at least.

"And I bet those bastards have those ships filled to the brim with soldiers," Basilio scoffed. "We barely have our own half-full."

The crowd around them murmured, but no one said anything outright.

"If we attempt to board them in a straight fight, we'll be slaughtered," Chrom said, his hand clenching around the hilt of Falchion.

"We've little choice but to try anyways," Flavia put in. "If we do not stop them here, there will be no one else stopping them."

Flavia turned to Robin.

"Plegia didn't have any men to spare, but they were generous with their supplies. Perhaps we can use them somehow?"

Robin began to grin. It looked like the two were on the same wavelengths. Plegia had gifted to them more ships they could shake a stick at, as well as a fair bit of other supplies that they might need while they were out at sea. Stuff like food, water, and other supplies.

Part of those other supplies included oil for their lamps and lanterns. While that didn't seem like it would be a lot, when you took into account that there were _one thousand_ ships, it added up.

Flavia was more devious than he had first given her credit for. It took Robin nearly an entire night to think up this strategy.

"Like the oil."

"Exactly," Flavia smirked. "If we could somehow set their ships aflame, they'd have nowhere to escape to."

"Are you crazy, woman?!" Basilio barked. "You could roast us all like yams! Are you truly so ready to die, you crazy wench?!"

"Do you have a better idea, oaf!" Flavia retorted and socked him in the arm. "The only problem would be getting their ships aflame without torching ours."

More murmurs broke out among the deck.

"Ah, ah, ah."

All eyes turned to Robin, who was wagging his finger at the bickering duo.

"That would actually be the entire point."

Everyone stared at the tactician with wide eyes except for Basilio. He looked about half fed up with the entire conversation.

"Boy, now _that_ is the dumbest thing I've heard all day."

"Have some trust," Robin grinned devilishly. "I have a plan."

* * *

 _ **And that's all she wrote!**_

 _ **I decided to break this part and the actual fight up into two chapters. I felt it'd drag on a little too long otherwise.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading everyone! See you next time.**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hey everyone! Welcome to the next chapter of my story!**_

 _ **Sorry for the long wait with this one. From the last time I updated, midterms and spring break had passed by. Sadly, both kept me quite busy. Any free time I had went in to some serious gaming (Fire Emblem Heroes and Breath of the Wild, am I right?).**_

 _ **Anywhos, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Stick around at the end for a few comments on this chapter!**_

* * *

As the Ylissean Army's flagship headed towards the Valmese flagship, Lucina looked over at her father, who was standing with her at the head of the force who would board the ship.

"Do you really think this will work, Father?"

Chrom kept his eyes ahead, watching as the enemy ship drew closer and closer.

"I do," he nodded.

Lucina wasn't so sure. When they had held their strategy meeting the day before, Lucina had been truly shocked by the plan their tactician had put forth. She had always known that Robin had a rather vivid imagination, but the plan he had drawn up was truly beyond her expectations. Everything about it was so different than what she had expected from military strategy. During her short stint as Exalt, she had come up with many battle strategies herself. However, those were all so straight forward. Their enemy was quite literally the walking dead. Back then, there had been no use for tactics such as this. Such trickery and risk taking didn't do much good when your enemy's only instinct was to sate their hunger. Part of her was expecting something akin to that.

She would admit that those straight forward strategies might not work in a war where the enemy had the upper-hand, but still.

"This plan just seems so…"

"Brilliant? Insane? Surprisingly simple?" Chrom finished for her and chuckled. "You kind of get used to it with Robin in charge. It'll work."

Lucina looked around at the rest of the Shepherds. Each and every one of them stood firmly, not one of them showing any shadow of a doubt on their features. Lon'qu stood motionless, his expression unchanging as he held his sword out in front of him. Vaike was currently holding his axe in the air, examining its edge. Sully and Stahl were both without their mounts, but each of them held a sword in hand as they exchanged a few final remarks before the battle.

None of them looked nervous. None of them looked like they were questioning Robin's tactics.

Nodding, Lucina drew her Falchion. She felt a new resolve burn in her chest as she looked around at the unwavering gazes of her comrades. If her father and everyone else trusted in their tactician, then Lucina would as well.

And she had to admit, his plan definitely seemed like it would work. For her and everyone else's sake, she certainly hoped so.

* * *

As the Ylissean flagship moved towards the enemy's, Robin found himself in a small dinghy paddling away. To avoid detection from the enemy, he was on the opposite side of their flagship, the side facing away from the Valmese fleet. From here, he was quite literally invisible to the enemy.

The plan was pretty simple. Once their ship was close enough, Robin would paddle around to the other side. That way, no one would see him, nor what he might have been plotting. The blind spot would be essential to proceeding with his plan.

Robin smirked to himself as he paddled, and did his best to ignore the constant rocking of the smaller vessel. It would truly be a shame, as well as anti-climactic, if he were to be sidelined now due to some seasickness.

He really had to hand it to himself this time; his plan was ingenious. It was simple, risk-free, and most importantly, it would work. With the beauty that was the element of surprise, it was a sure thing. No one would expect a one-man dinghy. Not in a naval battle of this size. It would totally catch them off guard.

And then, once the admiral of the Valmese navy was vanquished, Robin would give the signal to the rest of the army to go ahead with plan B. If everything went according to plan, then this entire fight should be over in less than an hour or two. The Valmese navy would be defeated, and the Ylissean continent would no longer have to fear of an invasion.

After today, Robin might just have to take up writing. A victory of this magnitude would make for an excellent tactics book. Maybe he could even get the maneuver named after him. How cool would that be? After all, it would only be fitting. This was basically his magnum opus of tactics.

'The Robin!' No, that'd be too cheesy. Maybe 'The Robin's Flight?'

Robin snickered to himself. That'd be a good one. It was fitting, and it had a pun snuck in there. Perfect!

The flagship began to slow, and so did Robin. The time was coming for him to make his move.

Setting down his oar, Robin fished into his cloak and pulled out a tome with a green cover.

"Ah, Arcwind. So we meet again."

This here was the only flaw in his otherwise spectacular strategy. What he was about to pull off had, to his knowledge, never been attempted before. Or, should he say, that he hasn't _seen_ anyone attempt it before. Could it be that other magic users didn't have the stones? Possibly. It was also very possible that other mages were wiser than he was and would never dream of using wind magic this way.

So, saying that there was _no_ risk involved might have been something of an exaggeration. In fact, it might be more accurate to say that this plan hinged _entirely_ on risk.

Either way, the entirety of his sneak attack was pretty dependent on this wind magic working as intended.

"Well, no great battle was won without taking a chance or two," Robin reminded himself as he began to paddle into position. "That's chapter nine in _Tactics for Beginners._ "

After this, _he_ should be the one writing that book.

* * *

The Shepherd's ship slowly drifted towards the much larger Valmese flagship. Off in the distance, another two Valmese vessels had broken from formation to come assist their admiral. They were a little further behind, but it wouldn't take them more than half an hour to reach the the other two ships with how the wind was blowing.

Chrom took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the deck of the enemy boat. Just as his wife had said, each of them were filled to the brim with Valmese troops. If he were to guess, he'd say there were near a hundred men on that vessel. They were outnumbered near three to one, not to mention that the Valmese reinforcements. If those other two boats were carrying similar numbers, then that threatening one hundred troops would skyrocket to three hundred. Three hundred enemies in close quarters and a battlefield the Shepherd's were unfamiliar with.

"Shepherds!" Chrom called out. "Prepare to board."

The group let out a chorus of affirmative grunts. A few moments later, Vaike and Sully came forward holding a boarding plank, with Kellam and Frederick close behind carrying a second.

"No one move until I give the order," Chrom said and drew his Falchion. "Our goal is to run interference while Robin and Lucina take care of the leader. Once we cut off the head, the rest body will wither. Failure here is not an option, understood?"

The Shepherd's raised their weapons and let out a collective "Yes sir!"

"Good," Chrom nodded to himself and readied his blade.

Their boat slowed to a stop opposite the Valmese ship. Standing tall above the rest of his men, Chrom could spot the enemy leader. He was a tall man, wearing an entire suit of red armor. From this distance, that was all the exalt could really make out, but even so, he could tell the man was an imposing one. From what Virion had told them, his name was Ignatius, and his reputation was just as imposing as his appearance.

From Chrom's experience, men who wore armor as encumbering as that always knew how to use it effectively. This would be far from an easy fight.

But, that's why they had a tactician with a few tricks up his sleeve.

Chrom locked eyes with the Valmese admiral and raised Falchion into the air.

"Now!"

The two groups of two pushed their planks across the gap between the two ships. Both planks reached the other side, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. It wasn't exactly like they could stop anyone on the other side from just pushing the boards into the cold waters below. The real test would be crossing to the other side undisturbed.

Good thing Robin had prepared for that.

"I said, NOW!" Chrom repeated himself, this time much louder.

Nothing happened. Across the way, a few snickers broke out amongst the Valmese forces.

Chrom pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering a few choice words under his breath.

Right when he opened his mouth to repeat himself once more, a gush of wind erupted from below the ship, followed by the terrified screams of a certain tactician as he flew upwards.

* * *

"Hmmm," Robin hummed to himself and examined the interior of his small little dinghy.

He pointed his palm at the wooden boarding and let out another thoughtful sound. Now that he thought about it, would something as frail looking as this little boat be able to withstand the pressure Robin would put on it? Maybe he should use the ocean as a blasting off point instead. He wasn't sure if that'd work either, however. Wouldn't the water just part?

"Now!"

Robin flinched when he heard Chrom shout from above him. That was his cue! The time for deliberation was over.

Opening his Arcwind tome to the correct page, Robin pointed his free hand at the dinghy he was standing on.

This should work, right? There were more unfeasible things in this world than being able to fly with the power of wind magic. It _was_ wind magic, after all. Using its power, Robin _should_ be able to achieve a very short-lived flight.

Looking at the size of the massive hulls that surrounded him, Robin was beginning to have some second thoughts. What if he rammed into the wood paneling of one of the boats? Or missed them completely? That'd be one man down before a single sword was swung.

Or even worse, what if he landed on a pile of soldiers carrying very sharp swords and spears?

On second thought, maybe a full-frontal assault would be the safer choice. Maybe not for everyone else, but at least it would be for him.

When he thought that, he didn't feel very tacticiany.

"I said, NOW!"

"Ah, damn it. Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

Robin closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"Arcwind!"

A ball of green wind erupted from burst from Robin's hand and tore into the wood of the dinghy.

Seconds before, Robin had been worried that using wind magic to achieve short bursts of flight might have been foolish.

Boy, was he wrong.

The minute the winds hit a hard surface, the force sent Robin flying into the air.

"Woooooah!"

Robin flew past the two boats that walled him in, and before he knew it, he had cleared both. Everything had been a blur as he zoomed past.

And now he was at least ten feet in the air above both of them.

The words 'oh shit' echoed in his brain at least a hundred times in the split second that he hung in the air above the two ships.

Then came the fall. Thanks to his angle, he would in fact fall onto the Valmese flagship, and as luck would have it, it looked like he would avoid landing on any troops. No one even moved to get out of his way or to try and intercept him. Both militaries just stood their dumbstruck as they watched the Grandmaster of the Ylissean army fall with the grace of a rock.

Robin hit the wooden deck with a thud, immediately falling into a roll to avert some of the damage he might have taken from the fall. It felt like someone had hammered on his legs with mallets, but all in all, he didn't break anything.

Now came the easy part.

Rolling to his feet, Robin whipped open his cloak for dramatic effect and pointed his hand at the closest batch of Valmese troops.

"Don't just stand there, you fools!" Ignatius shouted. "Attack the man!"

Robin didn't give them a chance to.

"Arcwind!"

The green stream of wind exploded from his hand once more. A moment later, a dozen of Valmese troops were blown off the ship and into the ocean below.

"Kill the mage, now!" Ignatius screamed and rose his spear. "Fire at will!"

"Arcwind!"

Robin threw out his hand and blasted away the several javelins and arrows that were all flying towards him.

"Arcwind!"

Robin flung his hand back around and let loose another stream of wind. Another twenty Valmese were thrown overboard.

"Charge!" Robin shouted, having cleared the way for the rest of the Shepherd's to board without worry. Swapping his Arcwind tome for a basic Wind tome, Robin drew his sword and raised it. "For Ylisse! For Ferox!"

The Shepherd's let out a battle cry and charged.

"Fight them back!" Ignatius ordered, slapping his spear against his armor. "For the Conqueror!"

The forces clashed in the middle of the Valmese deck. Thanks to Robin's risky strategy, the enemy had lost nearly half of their forces. They were still outnumbered, but being outnumbered was a common occurrence for the Shepherds.

"Mages, cover the archers! Archers, protect us against anything with wings! Everyone else, fight them back and protect our backline!"

Robin stood still as the battle raged around him, his eyes locked with the Valmese admiral. The only way for this guerrilla tactic to work was to dispatch of their leader as quickly as possible. If they played it out too long, the reinforcements would arrive, and that just wouldn't do. This plan relied on a quick hit and run to leave the Valmese leaderless for the final act. Disruption and confusion was the name of the game.

Lucina came to a stop beside the tactician, whipping Falchion downwards to rid the fresh blood from her blade.

"I am ready when you are," she informed him, slightly out of breath.

Robin glanced over at the princess and nodded. He was half expecting to see Chrom standing beside him as usual, but Robin had elected to have Lucina lead the offensive with him this time around. Seeing as how it was their first _real_ fight together, he thought it would be a good way of getting her up to speed with how they did things around here. Besides, her fighting style also seemed more fitting here. Lucina obviously used a similar technique as her father, but the two did have their differences. Chrom was more likely to punish his foe with strong, hard-hitting attacks, while Lucina would use her speed to her advantage to poke holes at their defense.

For someone of Ignatius's stature, she seemed like a better choice.

"You lead, I'll support," Robin said and Lucina nodded.

With that settled, the two approached Ignatius. Things wouldn't be that simple, however, as at least five men had stayed back to guard the admiral. The rest of the Shepherd's were doing an incredible job at running interference and keeping away any strays, but it was inevitable that a man of Ignatius's stature wouldn't have a guard or two.

"I see your arrogance continues to serve you well, tactician of Ylisse," Ignatius said as the two got close.

"Oh?" Robin quirked an eyebrow and came to a stop, his weapons slightly lowering. "You know who I am?"

"There are few in our ranks who don't know of the Grandmaster of Ylisse nor the Exalt that he serves," Ignatius replied truthfully. "But, your title will do you no good out here. The seas are my home, tactician, and you have foolishly come to challenge me at my doorstep."

Robin rolled his eyes and shot Lucina an exasperated look. These big guys all had the same lengthy speech right before they fought. 'Oh, you'll never beat me! I'm the master of such-and-such! A god among men! You have no chance!' Men with bigger stature had even bigger words to say before they fought. It got a little grating after a while.

Lucina only furrowed her brow in confusion, unsure of what his look meant. That wasn't all too surprising. Robin forgot that Lucina probably hadn't had to deal with these nobles that were a size too big for their britches in battle.

Robin scoffed and readied his sword and tome.

"That's enough chit-chat for me. I'll give you one chance, Admiral Ignatius. Surrender."

"Arrogant pup!" Ignatius growled. "Consider these seas your grave!"

With that final shout, Ignatius's five guards charged. Instead of attacking with a unified front, they were coming at the duo in groups. Foolish. That would make dispatching of them even easier.

Lucina darted forwards and immediately slashed out with Falchion. The first Valmese soldier crumpled to the ground, holding his gut in agony.

Robin extended his hand and shot forth a Wind spell, tripping up two of the remaining four. Both fell, leaving them easy targets for Lucina and Robin to finish off.

Pulling their blades from the downed men, Robin and Lucina stepped forwards in unison.

The final two of Ignatius's guards were a little more intelligent, or perhaps they had learned something from seeing their comrades so easily dealt with. Both hesitated and split up, one going for each Shepherd.

Robin smirked. He couldn't help but think people really undervalued the usefulness of wind magic for fights like this. It was amazing what a little gust of wind could do to your balance.

The Valmese man swung his sword at Robin, who easily sidestepped the telegraphed attack.

With a flick of his wrist, Robin shot a stream of wind from his hand. The wind caused the soldier to stumble at the end of his swing, leaving him wide open.

Robin slashed at the soldier's back before he could completely lose balance. The man let out a scream of pain and fell to the floor.

Lucina finished her foe just as quick and turned her blade towards the final enemy.

"Checkmate," Robin grinned and turned to the admiral. "You are outmatched. Surrender."

"Never!" Ignatius cried and raised his lance. "FOR VALM!"

Robin clicked his tongue and readied his tome.

"They never make it easy. I'm right behind you, Lucina."

The princess nodded and ran forwards, her holy sword trailing behind her.

Ignatius let out a roar and charged the much smaller woman.

He thrust at Lucina's chest with his spear, forcing the princess to jump to the side. Once she landed on her feet, she pounced forwards with an overhead strike.

Ignatius caught it with his spear and shoved her off. That gave Robin his opening.

Without a moment's delay, Robin shot a gust of wind at the Valmese leader

The admiral grunted and braced his legs, but the harsh gale still caused the mighty man to stumble backwards.

Lucina used this brief moment to her advantage. Advancing on her enemy, she rained down a barrage of quick, yet brutal blows down on Ignatius's armor. She wasn't able to pierce his armor, but Robin could tell the hits were taking an effect on the mighty knight. Every time Lucina's blade connected, Ignatius would wince. The blade wasn't denting the armor, but it was having an effect on the man inside of it.

Ignatius roared and lashed out with his spear, clipping Lucina in the jaw with the butt of his spear.

"Lucina!" Robin exclaimed, shooting a stream of wind at the man before he could advance any further.

The princess faltered, but used a hand to steady herself on the wooden deck before she could fall completely.

Robin gritted his teeth, taking the brief reprieve to evaluate his options. He could take this chance to confront the admiral himself, but his swordsmanship was nowhere near the levels of Lucina. He would just become overpowered in a manner of seconds, and then become a liability. Lucina would either have to jump in and save him, which would leave herself open, or Robin would become wounded. Neither one of those outcomes were acceptable.

The wind magic just wasn't cutting it anymore. Causing your enemy to lose their balance was very crucial, but Robin didn't want to take any chances. Those goons before were nowhere near as skilled in the art of combat as Ignatius was. He was no amateur. Simply causing him to lose his balance won't win this duel. He needed something with a little more firepower.

Putting away his green tome, Robin pulled out his Thoron.

Fire magic was an _obvious_ no-no here, leaving him with only one real choice. The tactician wasn't real fond of using thunder magic in fight such as this one, but there was nothing for it. If he was careful, he could avoid hitting Lucina and provide a fatal blow on the armored giant over there.

"Fight like a warrior, coward!"

Robin's eyes widened at the very, very sharp spear that was hurled in his direction. Ignatius had thrown his only weapon at him! Was he mad?!

He tried to move out of the way in time, but his reflexes proved too slow. The spear clipped his sword arm, leaving a deep gash in its wake.

"Hnng!"

Robin's sword fell to the ground as pain shot up and down his arm, leaving it limp and useless.

He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood to keep from screaming, and tried with all of his might to focus on the battle before him. If he wavered for even a second, someone could die. He wouldn't let his weakness cause Lucina's demise.

Seeing her comrade injured, Lucina let out a roar of rage and charged the now weaponless admiral.

Ignatius tried to meet Lucina's sword halfway with his armored gauntlet, but Lucina knew better than that. Her first strike was a feint, leaving the admiral defenseless to her next attack.

Lucina thrusted her blade at the man's abdomen. The legendary blade embedded itself in Ignatius's armor, but it wasn't able to pierce it completely.

Ignatius let out a scream of pain, but it was tainted with rage. Not many had breached his defenses before, let alone a woman. That was no doubt gnawing at him.

"Lucina, move!"

Lucina pulled her blade from the armor and jumped away, leaving Ignatius wide open.

Robin raised his mangled arm the best he could and opened his tome.

"Thoron!"

A stream of bright, yellow electricity erupted from the tactician's hand, followed by the loud crack of thunder.

Ignatius had no time to duck or get out of the way before the powerful thunder spell engulfed him. All that remained was the lifeless, shaking body of the deceased admiral.

Robin exhaled slowly and lowered his hand, wincing at the movement.

"Their leader is down!" Robin raised his voice to be heard over the sounds of battle. "Commence with the second part of the plan!"

The Shepherd's let out a chorus of acknowledgements.

"Robin!"

Lucina jogged up to the temporarily crippled man, her face pale with worry.

"How's your arm?" She asked and reached out to examine his arm, but stopped when she felt his hand on her face. "Um, Robin?"

Without saying anything, he gently moved her chin to the side to get a better view of the bruising. If he had been quicker, if he had been a better partner, this wouldn't have happened.

"He got you pretty good," Robin frowned, his eyes clouded with regret. "Does it hurt?"

"What?" Lucina said concerned. "Robin, I'm fine. _You're_ the one that we should be worrying about."

Robin blinked a few times and retracted his hand as if he had been burned. What was he doing?

"Right," he mumbled and pressed his good hand to the wound to stem the bleeding. "I'll see a healer once we get back. Come on, we gotta finish up and get out of here."

Robin turned away without saying another word, forcing Lucina to follow after him. She didn't look very pleased with him, but Robin ignored it and kept moving onward. The battle wasn't over yet.

As he walked, he examined the deck around him. While Robin and Lucina had been occupied with Ignatius, the Shepherd's had clearly gotten the upper hand in the fight, and now with the Valmese leader out of the way, the battle here was all but won. All that was left was was burning the ship.

Robin's eyes met Chrom's from across the deck, both of them nodding at each other.

"Everyone, fall back to the ship!" Chrom shouted as he deflected a swordsman's strike and promptly ran him through with Falchion. "Vaike and Kellam! Get ready with the oil! Miriel! Signal the rest of the armada to begin burning the ships!"

Chrom used his foot to dislodge his sword from the man's chest, then ran towards Robin, Lucina, and the rest of their forces as they retreated.

Robin watched as Kellam and Vaike hobbled towards the center of the boat with the wooden barrel, then tipped it over to spill its contents across the deck's surface.

The dark oil seeped across the deck.

"DOUBLE TIME!" Chrom yelled and waved everyone forward. "MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!"

The Shepherds hustled their way across the wooden plank and back to safety. Robin wanted to wait until everyone else crossed over the plank and got back to their ship, but Lucina ushered him forwards.

"We're getting you a healer. Now."

Robin didn't say anything and simply allowed himself to be pushed forwards across the wooden plank. He wanted to be the last one to leave, as that was his role as tactician, but he just didn't have the energy to argue. The blood loss might have been getting to him.

He heard Chrom shout once more, but the words were all jumbled and didn't make any sense.

"Damn," he mumbled, his eyes suddenly feeling heavy. Yep. The blood loss was definitely starting to get to him.

He felt himself buckle, but Lucina grabbed ahold of his waist before he could keel over completely. If she hadn't been there, he would have fallen right into the murky waters below. That chilling thought helped clear Robin's foggy head and kept his feet moving.

Once he set foot on the Shepherd's ship, he was immediately ambushed by Maribelle.

"What kind of fool are you to not get this treated sooner!" Maribelle huffed and raised her staff. "And you call yourself a tactician?"

Robin tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a weak snicker. Even with his wound, he couldn't help but feel a little giddy. A win was a win, right? On second thought, maybe that feeling was because of the blood loss.

"You're lucky you didn't pass out," Maribelle sighed and withdrew her staff. "There. Give it a day, and you'll be fine."

Robin looked down at his arm, and sure enough, the only thing that remained of his wound was a tear in his clothing and a nasty scar. The pain was gone, but the lightheadedness was still there. Maribelle really worked quick, and quite effectively, might he add.

"Helmsman!" Chrom's voice rang in his ear. "Get us out of here!"

Looking up, Robin saw the exalt walk past him.

"Chrom!" Robin called after him. "Is everyone safe?"

Chrom grinned and gave him a thumbs up, then went back to issuing out orders.

Robin sighed in relief and gave Lucina a tired smile. Everything was okay. Everyone was safe.

Lucina smiled back at him, but her smile dissipated when she caught sight of the spectacle behind the man.

"Lucina?" Robin frowned. She looked frightened. Why would she be frightened? They had just won, right?

"Dear Naga…"

Robin's furrowed his brow, wondering what could have caused that reaction, when the realization of what they had just done dawned on him.

Spinning around, Robin's jaw dropped when he saw the pillars of flame snake into the sky. Basilio and Flavia had definitely held up on their end. Just as planned, they had emptied half of the fleet and sent them right at the Valmese. Once close enough, the boats were lit aflame by archers that had been waiting for the signal. Any Valmese vessel that hadn't moved out of the way in time had been as good as toast. Even some of the ones that could avoid the oncoming inferno still caught fire due to the close proximity. From there, the fire spread like a cancer, engulfing every ship that it came into contact with.

The ocean was quite literally on fire. The flames reached high into the sky, their reflections bouncing off the blue ocean below. Never in all of his days did he expect to witness a blaze such as this one on a body of water as large as this, but here he was. It was real. It was happening.

In a weird way, it was breathtaking. Fire and water didn't really mix, so being able to see this was just incredible. The light from the fire was so bright that he had to shield his eyes, even.

It was hard to believe that it had really worked. With a simple, yet ingenious plan, the entire Valmese navy had been defeated. No longer did Ylisse or Regna Ferox have to worry about a war on their doorsteps. Simply by sacrificing a few hundred ships that they didn't need anyway, the Ylissean army would down an entire navy, and would deal an incredible blow to Walhart and the rest of Valm.

It had really worked!

It had… worked…

"Oh, gods," Robin's smile vanished.

It had worked a little _too_ well.

Over the cracking of the flames, the screams of men burning alive began to surface. Slowly but surely, the screams began to grow louder and louder until it felt like it was right in Robin's ear.

Little specs of light fell into the waters below. Robin could see their arms waving… their legs kicking.

It felt like… it felt like he could smell it. A culmination of burning wood, oil, and flesh. It hung on the air, polluting it. That fresh ocean breeze wasn't so fresh anymore. It was nauseating.

None of the Shepherd's cheered for their well-earned victory. They watched with solemn expressions, and those that couldn't averted their eyes.

Robin steadied himself on the ship's railing. Bile rose to his throat. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. This was _his_ doing. He had thought up the plan, he had given the orders, he had spilled their blood, and that blood was on his hands. That had never really bothered him before today. In fact, his job revolved around it. Thanks to his line of work, he had grown a thick skin for this type of thing. That wasn't to say he didn't regret the lives he had taken, but war was hell. He had to believe that they were all fighting for a brighter future. He had to believe that it would all be worth it in the end. If he gritted his teeth and kept moving forwards, he truly believed that he could live up to Emmeryn's ideals.

But, right now, Robin could only feel disgust. Disgust with himself, and disgust with this world. This slaughter isn't what Emmeryn would have wanted.

"What have I done…"

On second thought, he sincerely hoped that no future strategists named this maneuver after him. No one should remember this day.

Yet, as much as he wanted that, it was truly unavoidable. It hurt, but that was the truth. If that fleet didn't burn, then they would have all been killed. The Valmese would have made quick work of their under-manned navy, and then they would have moved on to Ylisse and Regna Ferox. Either way, there would be needless death. It was better that the military of a conqueror would be vanquished rather than hundreds of innocent civilians. Right?

Somehow, that rationalization didn't make him feel any better.

"Robin…"

He must have looked like shit, because he could feel someone take hold of his hand. The hand was small; much smaller than his own. Even so, he could still feel her squeeze his. It was tentative at first, as if she were having second thoughts, but soon enough he could feel her fingers curl beneath his palm.

Was she trying to comfort him?

Why? Why would she do that? Did she not see what he saw? Did she not realize this was his doing? Did she not realize that maybe he really was the wolf from her future?

Robin wanted nothing more than to push her away. To push her away, and to retreat to his room. Lock the door, and shut everything else out. The Shepherd's shouldn't see him this way. _She_ shouldn't see him this way… Moreover, he didn't want them to see him. Robin just wanted to hide. To hide from their pitying gazes. To hide from the praise that he would assuredly receive. To hide from the scorn that he would one day get.

But, he couldn't. It was the tactician's plan that had caused this. No one should read about this day in the history books, but Robin would never forget.

That is why he wouldn't turn away. He would etch this scene into his brain: either to realize what he was truly capable of, or to draw a line in the sand.

Robin squeezed Lucina's hand, but he didn't meet her eyes. The flame continued to reflect off his pupils as he looked straight ahead. The flames filled his vision.

Maybe part of him was also a little selfish. Right now, when his resolve was at his lowest, he would take comfort in the hand of someone he loved.

* * *

 _ **And that's that! I hope you guys liked it!**_

 ** _So, this chapter had the first taste of action in this fanfic. I've always had a love-hate relationship with action scenes in fanfics. On the one hand, if done well, it can be rather entertaining. I mean, who doesn't love some badass fight scenes? But even then, I think we've all been in that mood where we just want the story to progress, right? The fights begin to drag on, and you're left there drumming your fingers while you wait for it to be finally over. It can become a real snooze fest._**

 ** _With that being said, I'll try to keep any action scenes in this fic new and interesting, hence why I added the bit with the wind magic. That isn't to say that some fights might be a little more vanilla than others, but I will try to make them interesting in some manner._**

 ** _And with THAT being said, unless it's vital to the story, I'll try to avoid writing too many action scenes. This one in particular I think is vital to Robin's character, so I really wanted to add it. There are some fights however where I don't feel that's the case, and in those situations I'll probably skip over them in order to move the story and romance along. This is a Robin x Lucina fic after all. We're all here for the juicy, gooey romance, and you guys are going to get it._**

 ** _Too put it simply, I'm here first and foremost to write some Robin and Lucina._**

 ** _Welp, that's all I really wanted to say! Thanks for reading everyone, and I'll see you next time!_**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. School and other things got in the way. Namely Persona 5 and Fire Emblem Echoes.**_

 _ **I actually had two different drafts for this chapter originally, but after some deliberation, I decided to just combine the two to make this final product. Hopefully you'll all enjoy!**_

* * *

Hours passed by. The moon had taken to the sky, sitting comfortably on its perch as darkness returned to the ocean once again. It was calm, now. The battle was long since over, and the Ylissean ships had long since passed by the carnage. The Shepherds had eaten their dinners, said their goodnights, and all went to bed in preparation for another day.

Hours had passed by, and Robin still found himself standing in the same spot on the deck. His hands hadn't moved. They still clutched to the railing as if it were his only lifeline. His eyes stared at the horizon, where the flames on the blue were all but a little spec in the distance. It had been hours, and the fires were still burning…

"Robin, you should get some sleep."

The tactician felt a hand grip his shoulder. He spared a glance over at Chrom.

"You've been standing there for near an hour now," Robin spoke quietly. "Go get some dinner."

Chrom sighed and withdrew his hand, letting it drop down to his side.

"It's not your fault alone, you know. We all have to carry today's burden. Together."

Robin's hands clenched around the railing. He could feel the anger flare in his chest, but he repressed it. He knew Chrom was just looking out for him as brother would, but he couldn't help but feel annoyed by his perseverance.

"I'm fine, Chrom, really," Robin flashed the exalt a smile.

"Do you really think me so stupid that I can't tell a lie when I see one?" Chrom frowned and crossed his arms. "Talk."

"There's nothing to talk about. I just need some time to clear my head, alright? Some time alone."

Chrom's brow twitched. He didn't look convinced in the slightest.

But, Robin couldn't help that. He didn't have any desire to talk about this right now. Maybe later, but not now. It was still too fresh.

And with what Lucina had said the other day about his future-self, he couldn't help but feel distressed. Robin had always viewed himself as a just man, but maybe he wasn't. Maybe he was just using this 'righteous' fight as an excuse to wage a war. It's true that Robin always felt at home on the battlefield, and often found himself wasting a day away reading a book on tactics. Before, he had always thought that he just wanted to protect people or that he was just fascinated with military strategy. Emmeryn's ideals always resonated within him. Before, he always believed that he had been fighting to keep those ideals alive.

But now, he wondered…

Maybe… maybe he just wanted to kill people. Maybe he just thrived on the chaos. The cruelty. Maybe he was just looking for an excuse to sate his bloodlust.

Robin shivered.

"Do you remember what you told me after Emm's death?"

Chrom's question brought Robin back to reality.

Of course, he remembered. How could he forget?

Robin remained silent, realizing where he was going to go with this.

Chrom leaned on the railing next to his friend, his gaze on the same horizon.

"'If you fall, I'll be there to pull you up. When you fight for your sister's ideals, I'll be by your side,'" Chrom paused and turned to Robin. "'You don't have to become your sister, you know. You can still be true to yourself. You just have to give people hope in whatever way you can…' I think those words could help you now, my friend."

' _That bastard really remembered all of that word for word?'_

Robin felt himself crack a smile. He knew there was still a reason he followed this brute around.

Tilting his head back, Robin let out an exaggerated sigh.

"I should have known you'd use those words against me one day," Robin grumbled and clicked his tongue. "I'll try not to be so memorable and profound in my future speeches."

Chrom chuckled and gave Robin a hard slap on the back.

"There's that smartass that we all know and love. Now come on, let's go get some dinner."

"Go on without me."

Chrom opened his mouth to protest, but Robin shushed him before he could.

"I'll be right behind you, alright? For Naga's sake, you're becoming more like Tharja by the day."

The exalt tried not to grimace, but he couldn't help but let a tiny one out. Tharja's rather creepy obsession with Robin was well known among the Shepherds.

"Alright," Chrom relented reluctantly. "But, if I don't see you in twenty minutes I'm sending someone out here with food, you got that?"

"Yeah, yeah," Robin said and waved him off. "Now, get going. Your wife is probably waiting for you, and we both know how Sumia can get."

Chrom winced. Sumia could get a little cranky when he left her waiting.

"Gods, I didn't even think about that," he mumbled, earning an eyeroll from Robin. "Alright, I'm going, I'm going. Twenty minutes, you hear me?"

"Yeah, yeah. Get going."

Chrom gave his friend another look before nodding and turning to leave.

Robin watched him leave. Once he was out of sight, the tactician let out a sigh and turned back towards the ocean. It really was a beautiful night. The way the waves gently moved across the water's surface, the way that the moon shone down on him. It was amazing.

Too bad he couldn't enjoy it as much as he wanted to.

"Was this really the only way?" Robin asked himself. At the time, he was so sure of himself. His plan was brilliant. It utilized everything at their disposal. Even their lesser numbers.

But, now that he was alone once more with the moon, he wondered if he could have thought of some other solution.

* * *

Lucina's eyes fluttered open to the sounds of seagulls squaking overhead.

Groggily rubbing the sleep from her eyes, the princess sat up in her bed. With a yawn, she stretched her arms high above her head. What a nice night's sleep that was. Part of her was half tempted to lay back down and sleep a few more hours, but there was work to be done. Father and Robin were holding a strategy meeting today, and her presence had been requested. It'd be rude and unbecoming of her to deny them.

The sleep was tempting, though. It was rare that she got a full night's sleep nowadays. If it wasn't her own harsh regimen that prevented her from getting any shut-eye, it was the vivid nightmares. But, luckily for her, she had a very peaceful slumber. No nightmares, and since they were many miles out at sea, she couldn't exactly train like she would like.

Lucina rose from bed and walked towards the basin. Curiously, it looked like someone had already put fresh water in it.

"Probably Cordelia," she mumbled to herself. The thought of the red-head coming into her room while she was asleep made her feel a bit embarrassed, but Lucina knew she meant no harm.

After she splashed some water on her face, she dried herself off and looked in the mirror that was hung on the wall.

Lucina hummed in thought, her fingers slowly tracing the now purple bruise on her chin. That man really gave her a licking.

She winced when she pressed it a little too hard.

Oh, well. It wasn't the worst injury she had ever sustained in combat.

With the mirror's help, Lucina brushed her long, blue hair into place. She had always had long hair, and after she had slept, it tended to get all tangled and messy. Her father always used to call it a rat's nest. Lucina smiled fondly at the memory. He would always pat her head after he would say that.

Shaking the memory from her head, she went about finishing her morning routine.

After her hair, she got dressed, put on her armor, and then strapped Falchion to her waist. Feeling the familiar weight of the holy blade on her hip always set her at ease.

With that done, she gave herself one last look in the mirror. Despite the purple bruise, she actually looked quite well. There was more color in her cheeks, and the bags under her eyes had lessened considerably. She didn't look as thin as she used to, either. Had she put on a little weight?

She was beginning to look… normal.

Lucina stared at the stranger in the mirror for a few more moments before she turned and left.

The ship's corridors were empty at this hour, as most of the Shepherds were still asleep, or getting breakfast. Frederick had made it a point to have strategy meetings early in the morning, rather than later in the day, much to Chrom and Robin's chagrin.

It really made no difference to Lucina. All that mattered to her was the meeting itself.

Lucina shielded her eyes as she stepped onto the deck. The sun was only just beginning to rise, but it was so much darker down below deck that it took her a moment to adjust.

Even so, it was still quite beautiful. Watching the sun break over the ocean's horizon was a truly marvelous sight, and one she never dreamed of seeing for herself.

Lest she be late, Lucina continued on her way to the operations room. The boat was large, but easy to navigate. Having been here for a while now, she had come to memorize where everything was. It wouldn't take her long to get there.

Opening the door, was surprised to see that she was the first to arrive.

Well, almost first.

"Good morning, Lucina," Robin gave her a friendly smiled as she entered, then glanced at the clock. "Jeez, you sure are here early."

Lucina's eyes widened. Wasn't the meeting planned for seven?

"I thought the meeting was at seven?" Lucina asked and walked towards the strategy table. Just like before, it was covered with one, very large map, and a bunch of other miscellaneous items. There were a few books, some blank papers, and even a few empty mugs.

Although, this time, there were a bunch of small figures that sat around the map. They looked similar to chess pieces, but they had quite a bit more design put into them.

"It is," Robin nodded and stepped away from the table. "We still have another half hour till then."

"Oh. Is that really considered early, then?"

Robin snorted. "For your father it is."

Lucina smiled. Yes, Father certainly wasn't much of a morning person. He always talked of how the only real drawback to his job were the late nights and the early mornings.

"Coffee?" Robin asked and motioned towards the pot. "I brewed some not too long ago, so it's still nice and fresh."

"No, thank you."

Robin nodded and poured himself a mug. Lucina idly thought to herself if that was his first. Knowing him, probably not.

But, now that she thought about it, Robin looked surprisingly alright. The last time she saw him, he was in a truly terrible state. In fact, when Lucina had retired for the evening, he had still been standing on the same spot on the deck, even though the flames had long since been out of view. .

"How do you fare today, Robin?"

Robin stared at her over the rim of his mug, looking mildly surprised by the sudden question.

"What?" Lucina asked, her brow knitting slightly. Was it really that strange of a question?

"Nothing, nothing," Robin grinned and placed his drink down. "I just didn't take you to be one for small talk."

"Just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I can't engage in casual conversation with an acquaintance."

Robin smirked as if he had just been proven right. Lucina couldn't tell if she detested that smug look or not.

"We usually refer to it as 'shooting the shit,' but yeah that works too."

"W-wha?" Lucina's eyes widened. "W-why would you use such terminology for talking amongst friends?"

Robin threw his head back and laughed. Lucina frowned, a slight blush tinged her cheeks when she realized that she had just been made the butt of a joke.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Robin raised a hand as his giggling subsided. "It's just, you looked so damn appalled by my choice of phrase."

Lucina crossed her arms and turned her head away, doing her best not to pout in front of this man.

"Yes, well… Father and Mother would be disappointed if I spoke in the manner that you so casually do."

"You should try it sometime," his smile grew. "It's rather relieving to let out a strew of curses."

Lucina scoffed, but she did allow herself a tiny smile in return.

"There's that smile," Robin said, followed by a sigh. "Sorry, Lucina. I'd love to continue talking, but I should really finish things up before the meeting."

"Of course," Lucina nodded. "Please, don't mind me."

With that, Robin turned his attention back to the map sprawled across the table. On occasion, he'd glance at a separate piece of paper, then adjust one of the pieces on the map. Lucina was honestly surprised. It had only taken him moments to disconnect from the conversation and get fully enthralled in his work.

She almost didn't realize that he never answered her initial question. Did he do that on purpose? Or did the conversation just get sidetracked? It was possible they got sidetracked, but Robin was far too clever for that. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility that he did this on purpose.

Lucina took another look at Robin, her eyes narrowing slightly. It was dim in this room, so maybe she didn't notice it when she first walked in, but now she could spot the bags under his slightly reddened eyes. Playing detective wasn't something she was particularly skilled in, but the coffee pot he had used earlier was almost empty. If she were to make a wager, she'd say that this was not his first cup of coffee, nor his last.

So, why would he want to keep whatever's bothering him bottled up? In her short stay among the Shepherds, she could tell that Robin was well loved. Anyone would be happy to listen to his troubles and try to help. So, why would he not seek it? Did he not want to burden his fellow comrades? If so, Lucina could understand that. She also understood that it could be hard to talk about personal things like that.

…Or was there something more to it?

Lucina shook her head, shoving that feeling of distrust back down. Robin was a good man. She was sure that there was some reason he wouldn't seek help. If he truly needed it, she believed he would go to someone.

While it was true that she had been suspicious of Robin since day one, she had truly begun to feel that Robin was nothing but a good man and a skilled tactician. There was a time when she was near certain that Robin would be her father's killer, as he would be the most likely candidate, but those feelings had slowly diminished. Each day it had gotten harder and harder to truly believe Robin would be capable of something so horrendous.

Robin looked up from his work with a nervous smile on his face.

"You know, it's awfully hard to work when you're watching me like that."

Lucina flinched, suddenly becoming aware of how closely she had been watching the man.

"M-my apologies," she replied and looked away. "I was just lost in thought, is all."

"Oh?" Robin perked up, suddenly looking a little cheerful. "Was it about me?"

Lucina looked back to the man, her eyes widening slightly.

"Ooooh, it was!" Robin beamed. He looked surprisingly happy to know that she was thinking of him. "Please, do tell."

The princess was slightly taken back. He _was_ asking for it, but to flat out tell him all of what she was thinking seemed… wrong. Things like her previous suspicion of the tactician was best to keep to herself.

But, then again, she did want to be of help. He had listened to her when she confided in him, it was only right of her to do the same.

"Alright," Lucina nodded and sat a little straighter. "I don't mean to overstep my bounds, but it appears to me like there's something you're not sharing with me. Or anyone else, for that matter."

This time it was Robin's turn to look surprised.

With wide eyes, he took a step away from the table. If there were a chair underneath him, she had no doubt he'd fall into it. It looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"Y-y-you know?" Robin stuttered. "About how I-"

"Well, yes," Lucina answered slowly. Was it really all that surprising? "Something seemed off when you didn't answer my previous question."

Robin frowned and tilted his head to the side. That had clearly not been the answer he was expecting.

"Huh?"

Lucina shifted in her seat, suddenly feeling rather uneasy. Was he really going to make her spell this out for him? She wasn't one for confrontation of this nature. Lucina could lead, and she could follow. She could lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on, but when it came to getting someone to open up, she was at a complete loss.

"You avoided answering when I asked how you fared earlier."

Robin furrowed his brow, still looking confused. Gods, was she going to have to go into further detail? It literally happened moments ago.

Much to her relief, realization washed over his face.

"Riiight, right," Robin steadied himself on the table and let out a sigh of relief. "Of course that's what you meant. It only happened ten minutes ago right? What else could it be?"

"Look," she began gently. "I understand if you don't want to talk with me about whatever's bothering you, but nothing good can come from bottling your emotions up. Yesterday couldn't have been easy on you. You should talk to someone about it."

Lucina knew that was a _little_ hypocritical given the circumstances, but their situations were different. Her own thoughts and feelings held little relevance to the task ahead. Robin's, on the other hand, could mean life or death for more than just himself.

"Hm," Robin hummed to himself. "Gotta say, I expected a lecture from Chrom, maybe even Frederick, and possibly even Lissa, but I didn't expect one from you."

Lucina opened her mouth to speak, only to shut it again moments after. Had she been out of place?

Robin laughed, setting her heart at ease. He clearly didn't think so.

"I guess it just runs in the genes, huh?"

Lucina smiled along, but before anything else could be said, the door to the operations room opened.

"Morning," Chrom yawned as he walked in, followed shortly after by Frederick, Lissa, Virion, Flavia, and Basilio.

The fact that Robin had just avoided answering her question for a second time was not lost on her. That fact annoyed her slightly, but she had said what she needed to. Hopefully it helped.

"Morning everyone," Robin grinned at the group, any evidence of his previous weariness now completely gone. He was good at hiding it, she had to give him that. "Welcome to my humble abode."

"Damn, kid," Basilio said with a grunt as he fell into a nearby chair. "How can you be so damned chipper at this hour?"

"Not everyone is as lazy as you are, oaf," Flavia retorted and sat down beside him.

"Pah!" Basilio snorted. "This is coming from the woman who once fell asleep on the shitter!"

"Why, you son of a-!"

Chrom cleared his throat. Both khans stopped in their tracks.

Flavia growled, but dropped her fist before she could ruin Basilio's only good eye. The other khan simply smirked, looking extremely pleased with himself. Lucina couldn't help but think the two were like on old married couple. A very extreme, old married couple. Thank goodness Father had stepped in when he did, otherwise they really would have started throwing fists.

"Alright then," Robin began, coughing into his fist a few times to mask his giggles. "I know we're all a little groggy and probably hungry, but if we do our best this shouldn't take long."

"That's right," Chrom agreed and turned to Virion. "Now Virion, what can you tell us about Valm Harbor?"

"But, of course," Virion gave a slight bow and stepped towards the table. "Valm Harbor is our continent's most prosperous port, you see. It's located here."

Virion pointed to a coastal city on the map.

"And if our coordinates are correct," Robin moved the boat piece several inches away from the harbor. "We should be right around here. Seeing as how Valm Harbor is the closest and most important port, we'll be heading there. We should reach it by the end of the week."

"That soon?" Lucina asked.

"Yes," Robin nodded and glanced at Virion. "Which is why we need to know more about what we'll be heading into."

"It'll be rather grim, I'm afraid," Virion said sullenly. "As far as I'm aware, the harbor should be heavily fortified. It was one of the first settlements to fall to Walhart's might."

"Can you be any more specific?" Frederick asked.

"Indeed. Word from the grapevine is that a commander by the name of Farber is in charge of the forces."

"Hmmm," Basilio hummed and rubbed his chin. "What kind of man is this Farber?"

"And what of their forces?" Flavia added on.

"Farber's the same as the rest of Walhart's devout followers," Virion shrugged. "Fiercely loyal and rather fierce in general. Ah, if only my subordinates could be like that!"

If Lucina strained her ears, she could swear she heard a cricket chirping somewhere.

"Ahem," Virion coughed into his hand. "Anyways, it is said that he is quite the gifted horseman with a firm control over magic. And of his troops, I cannot say for sure. It could be anywhere from a few score to a few hundred."

The room grew quiet at the words 'few hundred.'

"We'll prepare for the worst, and hope for the best," Robin said, making a note on a page.

"Well said!" Virion nodded once and patted Robin's back. "We should also prepare for the off-chance that the resistance might be there."

The room went quiet once more, but this time it was out of surprise.

"There's a resistance?" Lissa piped up.

"Hmhm, indeed. Their victories are few, but they remain steadfast to their cause."

"That'll definitely come in handy," Robin mumbled to himself, making another note on the page then lifted his head. "Regardless of their presence for this upcoming battle, we should seek them out nonetheless."

"Their assistance would be very helpful," Chrom agreed. "Outside of Virion and Cherche, our knowledge of Valm is limited. Their knowledge of the lands and the extra manpower would be very welcomed."

"Alright then," Robin clapped his hands together. "That's all for now."

Chrom turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

"That's it? We've only been talking for five minutes."

"Yep, that's it. That's all I needed to finish my strategies. We can reconvene in a few hours."

Robin pulled out a seat and sat down at the table, shifting a few of papers around and grabbed a quill.

"Now, shoo," he waved them off without looking up from his papers. "I've got work to do, but once I'm done here I'll meet you all in the mess."

The group shared a collective look followed by a collective shrug.

"I better see you eating something in the mess hall later," Chrom said, pointing a finger at his friend as he walked towards the door.

"You're going to be eating these hands if you keep pestering me," Robin grumbled, but he did crack a smile.

Chrom laughed and gave a farewell, then followed the crowd out of the room. The only two that remained now were Robin and Lucina.

"He must have been a ball to grow up with."

"Father does seem fond of nagging you," Lucina smiled.

"You don't know the half of it," Robin sighed, but Lucina didn't think he seemed all that upset by it.

After a moment of silence, Robin looked up at Lucina with a questioning look.

"Are you not leaving as well? They'll be serving breakfast soon. First come first serve."

"I'm not particularly hungry at the moment," Lucina shrugged. "Besides, I'd feel guilty if I didn't help somehow. If you'll have me, of course."

Robin beamed at that, leaving Lucina wondering what part of what she said had made him so happy.

* * *

 _ **And there you have it!**_

 _ **I hope you all enjoyed it, and hopefully I'll have the next chapter out sooner!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading, see you all next time!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hey everyone! Welcome to the latest chapter of From the Ground Up!**_

 ** _First off, I'd like to thank all of my reviewers, followers, and favoriters. Your overwhelming support has been amazing! Thank you all! I grin ear to ear every time I see another review, or another follow/favorite. Seriously, thanks a lot everyone. It gives me that extra bit of motivation whenever I'm having a slow day._**

 _ **Sorry this chapter took awhile. I originally planed to post it last week, but well, I ended up writing more than I originally intended. In fact, this is the largest chapter to date!**_

 _ **I hope you all enjoy!**_

* * *

Robin stood on the deck of the Ylissean flagship, his hair fluttering in the wind as he stared out over the ocean. His heart beat steadily, but his mind was racing one hundred miles a minute.

This was a common practice for the tactician on the eve of battle. Today was the day that they would first set foot on enemy soil. It would be today that they would finally take the fight to them. As such, he wore his ceremonial Grandmaster gear, so that all of their troops would see the Brand of the Exalt on his back when they charged.

For some reason, its cloth felt much heavier.

He breathed in and out at a steady pace as he went over his plans in his head. On the outside, he might have looked calm; collected, even. But on the in, he was anything but.

 _How will we protect ourselves from enemy projectiles as we beach? What if they have wyverns? If we keep our archers back to fend off any aerial attacks, and our mages back to repel any oncoming fire…_

Plans, strategies, scenarios all danced around his head, forcing out any moral or ethical dilemma that might have surfaced. One thing that any tactician should understand is that their job is never truly over. The best-laid schemes of mice and men often go awry, after all. One can plan for battle, but one is never fully prepared.

Even so, he intended to be nothing but perfect.

 _How will we fight in such tight quarters? If we stay in an organized group, and use the surrounding town to our advantage…_

His mind continued to race.

 _Lucina… where should she go? Will she be safe?_

It stopped.

Robin blinked, then shook his head. That was an unhealthy line of thought. As the number two of this army, he couldn't show any preferential treatment like that. Everyone carried their weight, and rightfully so. They had to.

Gods, was it tempting though…

 _She could be in the rearguard. Someone needs to stay in the back and keep things organized should we call a retreat._

Robin shook his head a little harder this time, forcing the thoughts from his head.

"Everything all right, boy?"

The deep, rumbling voice of Khan Basilio pulled Robin from his reverie.

"Of course," Robin answered plainly, sparing a glance at the behemoth that had pulled up beside him. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"'Cause you been standing here, mumbling to yourself like a drunkard."

Robin flushed at the thought that someone might have heard him.

"Just going over some strategies before the time comes," Robin replied, sparing the khan another glance. "You, err, didn't hear anything, did you?"

Basilio raised an eyebrow at the tactician. If Robin squinted, he could swear he saw the subtle hint of a smirk.

"Nothing that needs to be repeated."

The two maintained eye contact until Robin eventually broke it off. Basilio didn't always act it, but he could be quite subtle when he wanted to. He couldn't tell if he hated that aspect of the warrior or not.

No wonder he got his position as khan.

"Good, that's uh, good," Robin cleared his throat and turned back to the sea. "I take it you're prepared for battle if you have the time to come and fraternize with me, then."

"Who do you think you're talking to, boy," Basilio grunted and crossed his arms. "I've been ready to fight since I fell out of the womb."

Robin bit his cheek to keep from smiling. Maybe it was because he was used to more reserved company, but Basilio's brash manner of speaking always managed to put a grin on his face.

"That's a relief. We'll need that Feroxi strength in the coming days."

"We'll need more than just that," the khan sighed. "We'll need that bright mind of yours as well. I hope you've got more tricks up those baggy sleeves of yours, otherwise we're up shit creek without a paddle."

Robin's smile turned somber. Did winning this war really require more underhanded tactics such as _that_?

"Whatever gets the job done," Robin nodded, more to himself than anything.

"That's the spirit," Basilio slapped Robin on the back, causing his entire body to shake. "Just remember to share that load. I don't need you stealing all of the glory."

Giving him another pat for good measure, the west khan turned to leave.

"I better get going before Flavia gets on my ass again," he said as he walked away, giving a single wave. "I'll see you on the battlefield, Robin."

Robin nodded at the man and turned back to the ocean, letting out a sigh. Now that he thought about it, he should probably go gather Chrom and the others for a last-minute briefing.

Adjusting his coat, he turned and walked towards the stairs that lead below deck.

It was much darker below the deck.

Out at sea, there was no escape from the sun. It was always bright, all the time. Unless clouds rolled in, that is. It took Robin's eyes a moment to adjust to the dimmer atmosphere. Not to mention the crowdedness. He had to resort to hugging the wall to let people pass by him.

Robin knew what it awaited them when they finally left this ship they had called home for the past month, but he couldn't help but look forward to it slightly. The thought of finally having space to walk and move freely left him a little giddy. After spending twenty-four hours a day on a boat out at sea, he began to find himself daydreaming of running around a grassy field when all was said and done. He could hardly remember what it was like to stand on ground that wasn't swaying.

What an odd thought.

Robin sidestepped another group of the ship's crew, basically falling against the wall in the process.

Yeah, he couldn't wait to get off this rotten hunk of wood.

A sigh of relief escaped him when he finally reached his destination. Giving the old wooden door a shove, Robin stepped into Chrom's room.

Chrom stood on the other side of the room, adjusting his silver pauldron while Frederick cast a silent vigil over it all a few feet away. The exalt and retainer were the only two in the room, which came as a surprise. He half expected to see Lucina here as well, or at least Sumia.

Every time he saw this room, Robin couldn't help feeling a little miffed at how nicer Chrom's quarters were compared to his. Ample space, a large bed; the room truly had it all. Meanwhile, Robin got to enjoy the comfort of a rock-hard bed where his feet draped over the side, in a room that was no larger than a storage closet.

At least he didn't have to bunk with someone else.

The little things.

"Ah, good morning, Robin," Chrom greeted him as he walked in. "Is it time?"

"Almost. Land was spotted nearly an hour ago. We have a few more till we reach the port, give or take. The scouts have reported back, though."

"Oh?" Chrom raised an eyebrow and turned to face him. "What news do they bring?"

"The port is occupied by a force of one hundred troops," Robin replied and plopped down on a nearby chair.

Chrom looked concerned at the number, but Robin waved him off.

"It's good news. A single hundred pales in comparison to the few hundred that Virion mentioned."

"Indeed," Frederick nodded, speaking for the first time. "With a force of that size, we wouldn't need to wait for the rest of the fleet."

"Bingo," Robin snapped his fingers, leaning back in his seat. "We can take them on with just the Shepherds. Being outnumbered three-to-one is no new territory for us."

"If you say so," Chrom said, still looking a little worried. He couldn't blame him, really. Even though Robin was used to poor odds by now, it didn't mean he particularly liked it.

"It's curious as to why they left such an important port so heavily undermanned, however," Robin pondered out loud. "You think they'd have tougher defenses."

"I doubt Walhart was ready for a hostile invasion," Chrom shrugged as he strapped Falchion to his waist. "And we _did_ justdispose of most of his navy."

"That's true," Robin nodded, but it still nagged at him. "Let's just hope that's the case and there aren't any unwanted surprises waiting for us."

"We'll have to stay vigilant," Frederick agreed.

"Which is why I wanted to rally the troops topside. I'd like to go over the final plan before we strike."

"Frederick, would you mind?" Chrom asked, looking to his knight.

"Consider it done, milord," Frederick bowed then left the room, leaving Robin and Chrom alone once more.

"Should we head up as well?"

"I suppose so," Robin sighed but made no move to leave. "Go on ahead, I'll be right behind you."

Chrom nodded and followed after Frederick, leaving Robin alone in someone else's quarters.

Interlocking his fingers behind his head, Robin stared up at the ceiling. With no one there to see or watch him, Robin finally let himself have a moment of peace and quiet. But of course, that moment didn't last long. Trying to clear a mind was like trying not to breathe. It was impossible.

It didn't help that whenever Robin wasn't working his anxiety would gnaw at him. As much as he loathed to admit it, he had always been a busy body. Whenever he wasn't working, he felt like he was forgetting something. Like there was something else that he could be doing. Robin always snickered at Frederick's diligence and Cordelia's tidiness, but in reality, he was no different.

It was a lose-lose, really. When he worked, he worried about the lives in his hands. When he didn't, he worried that he wasn't doing enough. With the prospect of impending doom hanging over him, these feelings only intensified.

Fed up with that line of thinking, Robin looked around the room in a vain attempt to clear his head.

His eyes eventually fell upon the lantern that hung on the wall. The flame that burned inside flickered back and forth, drawing him in. The fire swayed back and forth, and back and forth, and back and forth…

Before he had even realized it, Robin was standing. For once, the familiar weight of his sword on his hip and tomes in his coat gave him comfort.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, the tactician turned to leave.

* * *

When Robin returned to the deck, the entirety of the Shepherds were standing in attendance. He whistled as he strode past them, impressed by Frederick's speed. Either that, or he had been alone with his thoughts much longer than he realized.

He met Lucina's eyes in the crowd and gave her a nod. His heart beat quickened a little.

"We're ready when you are, Robin."

Chrom's sudden voice snapped him back to reality.

"Right," Robin nodded at his friend and turned back to the Shepherds. Everyone was watching him expectantly, waiting for whatever he would say next.

As if a switch had been flipped, Robin went from plain old "Robin" to "Grandmaster Robin."

"In a few hours we'll make landfall at Valm Harbor. It's currently occupied by a Valmese force of around a hundred troops, so the Shepherd's will be the playing the part of the vanguard so we don't have to overcommit our forces. We'll assault the town, clear out the Valmese, then return it to its rightful owner."

Robin took a breath and swallowed before continuing.

"Being outnumbered three-to-one is nothing new for us, but make sure you keep your wits about you. We'll be at an inherent disadvantage since we're invading from the sea. We should be ready for anything when the time comes, because we'll pretty much be sitting ducks until we can group safely on the beach."

Placing his hands on his hips, he gauged the crowd.

"Any questions?"

Some generals might scoff at him for asking his troops for their opinions, but that's why the Shepherds were world-renowned compared to any other military outfit. Their strength came from their unity and teamwork, not raw skill. That's why communication and clairvoyance was something Robin preached from day one, and would continue to do so.

The first hand he saw was Stahl's.

"Shoot, Stahl."

"How exactly _are_ we going to make it to the beach, then?" the green knight asked.

"Fantastic question. Simply put, we'll have to have some covering fire to take the heat off us, or have our mages repelling their attacks. Probably a combination of the two."

"Then won't we end up getting separated if we have to stay back while everyone else moves forward?" Ricken shot in.

"Ah, I didn't see a raised hand there, but I like the enthusiasm," Robin smirked at the boy's blush. "But, yes, that could pose a problem. That's why an amphibious invasion such as this one can be difficult. With our lesser numbers, we can't afford to leave any person behind. That's why we'll have to be constantly advancing, otherwise we'll be dead in the water."

"Then why can't we wait for the rest of the fleet and do a coordinated attack?" Cordelia asked next. "We could just outnumber them."

"That would be ideal, but that'd take too much time," he answered with a shrug. "Even with the ships we… burned off, we still have a sizeable number. It'd take all day just to get them into the port, and by then, the Valmese could just easily call in reinforcements. Then we'd just be in the same situation, but with greater numbers. By doing it this way, we can keep things a little more controlled, and hopefully avoid destroying the town in the process."

Cordelia nodded, along with a few others. It looked like Robin's words were getting through to them. That was important. For them to function to the best of their abilities, everyone had to be on the same page; especially when their next battle would be one as dangerous as an assault from the sea.

"Any other questions?"

Robin looked around, seeing no one with a raised hand or a confused face.

"Good!" Robin smiled and clapped his hands together. "With that settled, there's just one more topic I want to discuss. Virion has informed us that there is a local resistance group operating in Valm. Be on the lookout for any sign of them in the upcoming battle. It'll be important for our campaign to enlist their help, sooner rather than later."

He saw a few heads nod back at him, and his smile grew. Robin really did love this group.

"We have around two hours before we reach land, so use that time as you see fit. Just make sure you're ready when the time comes. You're dismissed."

With Robin's final words, the group dispersed. Some of the Shepherds stayed on the deck, but Robin did notice a chunk of them head below deck. Since Stahl was leading the way, he assumed they were heading to the mess.

As if on cue, Robin's stomach began to growl. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't had anything to eat yet, and gods was he starving.

"I'm going to go get some grub," Robin said to Chrom and jerked a thumb towards the stairs. "Come get me if anything should happen."

Chrom nodded and went back to conversing with Frederick. Gods knew that must have been an exhilarating conversation.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Robin made his way towards the stairs. With everything that had happened recently, his appetite had taken a bit of a vacation. He'd be lucky to finish a single meal in a day.

But, right now, Robin felt like he could eat a bear. All that mental work must have worked up one hell of an appetite.

Before he could leave the deck, Lucina stepped into his line of vision. With the look on her face, she clearly had something she wanted to discuss with him.

Robin's heart skipped a beat. Again.

He didn't know if he should be thankful or worried. Knowing her, it was probably something serious.

"Robin," she greeted with a nod when she got close.

"Lucina," Robin returned the gesture. "Was there something you needed?"

"Yes, actually. I was hoping I might be able to have a word with you. There was something I'd like to discuss, and you're the only one I can talk to about this."

The honesty and seriousness in her voice nearly caught him off guard.

"Y-yeah, of course," he stammered and rubbed his head. "I was going to grab something to eat, so why don't we talk in the mess?"

Lucina inhaled slowly as she debated the idea, eventually relenting with a single nod. Robin let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

The two made their way towards the ship's cafeteria, Robin leading the way. The tactician suddenly felt his usual confident demeanor diminish knowing that Lucina was probably staring at his back as he walked. He didn't know if he should feel ashamed or embarrassed.

It took less than five minutes for the two to reach the mess hall. It wasn't very large considering how cramped the ship already was, but it wasn't terrible. The dozen or so wooden tables that filled the room could easily fit around fifty people.

As expected, Robin saw Stahl up at the front getting enough food for two people.

"You want anything?" Robin asked, glancing at the princess standing beside him.

"No thank you," Lucina shook her head, her cerulean hair fluttering back and forth.

"Are you sure?" he quirked an eyebrow at her. "It's good to eat something before battle."

"I'm afraid I never have much of an appetite before battle," Lucina smiled apologetically. "But, please, don't let me stop you."

Robin frowned and turned back to the fresh food on the other side of the room. He suddenly felt very awkward about gorging his face in the presence of a lady.

Sighing, he went up and grabbed two oranges then came back. Not exactly the buffet he envisioned.

"Here," he said, handing Lucina the spare orange as he sat down at an empty table. "At least eat something. It'll help prevent scurvy, too."

Eyeing the fruit with a critical eye, Lucina reluctantly accepted the orange as she sat down as well.

"So," Robin began while he tore the peel off. "What'd you want to talk to me about?"

"Right," she mumbled, suddenly becoming very invested in tearing a hole through the orange's peel with her thumbs.

With a reaction like that, Robin could only assume the topic of she wanted to discuss.

"Does this have something to do with your father, perhaps?" Robin asked and plopped a piece of orange in his mouth.

"Yes," Lucina admitted.

"…Lucina."

Robin leaned forward, letting his arms rest on the table.

"Like I told you before, as long as I'm breathing, I'll continue to do everything in my power to keep everyone safe. You have my word."

"I know, Robin. I know," Lucina exhaled. "I believe you when you say that, but I just can't help but worry. Father _needs_ to survive to ensure any hope we might have. He is the key."

Lucina placed her forehead in her hands.

"And I can't afford to lose him or mother again," she added quietly.

Robin watched her, feeling pity once more for the girl.

"The future of humanity depends on what we do in the here and now…" Robin said, mostly to himself.

"Which is exactly why I can't afford to lose. Not again," Lucina's frown deepened into a scowl. "No matter the foe, no matter the obstacle… I must persevere. I must overcome."

"Hey."

Robin reached out and flicked her forehead, causing the princess to flinch.

" _We_ must overcome. Rather you knew it or not, you've never been alone in this fight."

Lucina didn't say anything. She stared at Robin, her brilliant blue eyes unblinking. The brand in her left eye shone brightly.

"It's a terrible weight you bear, but know that you don't bear it alone," Robin spoke quietly, meeting her gaze. "Your friends- who we will find, by the way- are out there right now looking for you. They're ready to aid you in anywhere they're able. And your father? Well, he has an entire army ready to fight and die for him."

Robin leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms, once again adorning that cocky smirk he was known for.

"And you have me, for whatever that may be worth."

Lucina lowered her head, but Robin could still see the corners of her lips tug upwards into a smile.

"It is worth a great deal, Robin," she whispered. "Thank you."

With that said, the two remained silent. After having said all that, the right words seemed to evade Robin. He idly wondered if maybe Lucina felt the same.

When she finally raised her head, she was still smiling. Robin never expected a beaming, ear to ear, toothy grin from the composed princess, but this was just as good. It was a small, reserved smile, but Robin could feel the genuineness behind it. It shone in her eyes.

It nearly took his breath away. If he hadn't been so captivated, he might have confessed his love for her right then and there.

But, he didn't, of course. There was a time and place for that, and it wasn't on this rickety, piece of crap they called a boat.

"Thank you, Robin," she repeated. "You've been very accepting of me ever since I joined the Shepherds. I only wish I extended the same courtesy back then."

That last bit caused Robin to furrow his brow slightly in confusion, but before he could say anything, Lucina rose to her feet.

"I'd love to stay and talk more, but I wish to spend some time with Mother and Father before the time comes."

"Of course," Robin nodded. "Please, go have fun."

Lucina returned the nod and walked away. Robin's eyes lingered after her long after she had left.

Robin chewed on his lip. It was ironic how earlier that day he had difficulties controlling his rampant thoughts, but now he could only think about one, single thing.

Lest that thought burn at his heart, Robin rose to his feet and walked over to where the rest of the Shepherds were sitting, and more importantly, where the food was. That orange barely put a dent in his appetite, so he reckoned it was high time to eat a real meal. Besides, what better way to spend the remaining hours than by eating a meal with his friends?

* * *

Two hours later, Lucina found herself standing shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the Shepherds. After what felt like forever, the time had finally come.

In front of her stood Chrom and Robin, and in front of them was the fast approaching shoreline. The tops of the town's buildings had now poked into view. From where she was standing, everything seemed peaceful. The lazy stacks of smoke billowed from the building's chimneys. A quietness hung on the air that felt peaceful.

Lucina knew better, though. She knew that the minute they stepped foot on that beach, hell would break loose.

"Shepherds."

Her father turned to face them, his face donning its usual stoic look. Was it possible that her father felt just as nervous as she? It certainly never seemed like it.

"Today we take our first step in enemy territory, and with it, our first step towards a brighter tomorrow."

Chrom met each and every set of eyes, his expression unwavering. It was hard for her not to feel admiration for her father in times like these, but it was even easier for her to feel envious. Maybe if she had been this brave, her future wouldn't be in ruins…

"Fight today not for yourselves, but for your loved ones. Fight for those bonds you have formed, and the bonds you have yet to form," Chrom said firmly. "If we stand together, I know that we will prevail!"

The Shepherds cheered in unison.

"Shepherds!" Robin stepped forward. "We stick together until we clear the beach. After that, assume Formation Alpha. We don't stop fighting until the town is taken."

Formation Alpha was one of Robin's numerous formations for the Shepherds to take. Robin's strategies were well known for relying on the strength of the buddy system. The Shepherds as a whole would stay together as one group, but within that group, each member was paired off with another. They would then be responsible for watching each other's back, and making sure no harm would befall their partner.

That's what Robin had told her, but Lucina truly believed that his reasoning wasn't so calculated. Most of the Shepherds, including herself, were paired up with their loved ones in these formations. That was hardly a coincidence. It didn't take a tactician to know that any soldier would fight ten times as hard if their loved ones were back-to-back with them. Anyone would want to protect the ones they loved, and Lucina was no exception. She knew she fought harder when she was with her father, mother, or even Robin. Their presences invigorated her. They gave her the strength to fight on, even when she herself was ready to give in.

For a group as close knit as theirs, it was brilliant, really.

The boat stopped moving. The vessel noticeably shook when it beached.

It was time.

Lucina took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She said a silent prayer to Naga, then to her deceased aunt, and finally to her mother and father. The prayer was simple, and one that she had repeated hundreds of times. She prayed for everyone's safety, while also asking for forgiveness for the lives she might take for her cause.

There was a loud thud as the boat's boarding ramp was released and hit the beach.

Lucina opened her eyes in time to see her father's back, his Falchion raised high in the sky.

She drew her blade as well.

"For Ylisse! For Emmeryn! For the future!"

The Shepherds chorused the chant back and followed after Chrom and Robin.

Then it began.

The soft whistling of arrows buzzed in the air. It was hard to hear, but Lucina recognized the sound immediately.

Robin was the first to react.

In the blink of an eye, he had pulled a green book from his coat and opened it deftly with a single hand.

"Arcwind!"

A gust of wind erupted from the Grandmaster's hand, knocking the hail of arrows out of the sky.

"Mages, repel the next volley!"

Lucina kept running as she heard another gust of wind gush overhead. She saw a few arrows fall harmlessly around her.

She barely even registered the sand beneath her feet.

Nearly a hundred feet ahead she could see the town square. It was littered with several crates and wagons, no doubt belonging to the Valmese. There was a line of barricades separating the entrance to the harbor and the sandy beach, but with a quick spell from Robin, they didn't last long.

Behind that was a line of soldiers.

"Break their ranks!" Lucina could hear Robin shout over the commotion. "Assume Formation Alpha!"

Lucina felt a gust of wind blow past her as Frederick and the rest of the cavalry charged forwards. She spotted the fluttering of wings above her as the pegasus knights and Cherche swooped in.

With an outstretched arm, Chrom latched onto Frederick and hoisted himself up on the back of his horse in one swift motion. Seconds later, the knights broke through the line of Valmese soldiers. Their weapons were a blur as they swung, stabbed, and smashed.

"Charge, Shepherds! Push the advantage!"

Lucina raised her blade and let out a war cry, along with the rest of the Shepherds. In unison, the foot soldiers entered the harbor. She didn't dare spare a look, but she could feel Robin's presence beside her as they came upon their first foes.

A soldier rushed Lucina with a lance, trying to use its superior range to keep the swordswoman at bay.

Before the lance could reach her, the soldier was struck down by a blast of lightning from Robin.

Lucina ignored the all too familiar stench of burnt flesh as she stepped over the lifeless body in search for her next battle.

She saw a sword come down on her from her peripherals.

Spinning to the right, Lucina slapped the sword aside with her own. Before the man could recompose himself, Lucina darted forwards and pushed her blade into his abdomen.

The man let out a gurgled cry. Lucina pulled her blade out and moved forward, not daring to look at the face of the soldier she had just killed.

"Lucina, duck!"

Lucina instinctively dropped to her knees. She heard a loud crack and felt a wave of heat pass over her, followed by a pained scream.

The enemy that tried to attack her blind spot fell to the ground harmlessly.

The princess nodded her thanks to Robin, and the two continued to push forwards.

Another blade crossed her path; another body fell. She saw another flash of light, and another body fell.

Then another lance appeared. Another body collapsed.

Then another.

And another.

The cycle rinsed and repeated until she stopped counting how many foes had crossed her path.

Lucina lowered Falchion momentarily to wipe the blood and sweat from her face. She and Robin were nearly touching shoulders by now as the fighting had reached its peak. The chaos of a full-fledged warzone was still something she was unfamiliar with, even though she had been a part of one hundreds of times. How could one ever really feel comfortable in a pit of weapons, blood, and death.

Her eyes widened as she saw a horse break through the masses.

"Robin!"

Lucina reached out and grabbed the man by the arm and yanked him out of the way. As the horseman galloped by, she swung at the rider's chest with the flat of her blade.

The rider let out a loud oomph as he fell from the saddle. The moment he hit the ground, Robin promptly finished the job with his own sword.

Robin gave Lucina a look before turning and reentering the fray.

Lucina followed after him, only to stop when she heard the sounds of a woman screaming.

She stopped in her tracks and looked around. It sounded like it hadn't come from the brawl, but maybe it was her imagination.

Her brow twitched when she heard it again. Something about it didn't sit right with her. It wasn't like the usual screams of pain she was used to in these situations, but more like someone arguing.

Doing a complete three-sixty of the area, she spotted a single woman that was cornered by four other men in the far corner of the town's square. She was defenseless, but the four Valmese men were armed with very threatening looking swords. They were slowly moving closer.

Lucina bit her lip and looked back to Robin, who was currently engaged in a sword fight with another. She hated to break formation like this, but…

* * *

"Arcthunder!"

A stream of lighting struck an enemy, sending him flying backwards into another.

Robin ran forwards and finished off the other downed soldier before he could recover.

A sword seemingly appeared from nowhere, stopping just inches from Robin's face.

The tactician brushed aside the sword with his tome and lunged forwards. He felt the resistance of the man's midsection give away as his sword embedded itself in between his ribs.

There was screaming in Robin's ears, but he ignored it as he pulled his blade free.

As the body fell to the ground, Robin backed away and swiveled his head around. This had to be the hundredth time he had checked on Lucina, but he couldn't help himself. He had to know she was okay. If she had gotten hurt…

Robin's breath hitched in his throat. He couldn't see her.

"Lucina?!"

His eyes darted back and forth as he scanned the mass of people and bodies. He didn't see any clumps of blue. Only red.

 _Gods, if she… if she…_

Robin refused to finish that thought process.

"Bubbles!"

Gaius and Oliva broke away from the crowd and came running towards him. Both looked a little worse for wear, but neither looked seriously injured. The worst he could see was a few cuts and scrapes.

"We saw Blue Jr. take off in that direction!"

Robin nodded and ran off in a sprint towards where Gaius had pointed. His destination took him further away from the battle, and farther into the city. The coastline was still visible to his right, but to his left was a line of various buildings and homes. This place was ripe for an ambush.

 _Damn it, Lucina!_

How could she run off and break formation like this? She had even helped him devise today's strategy!

She knew as well as he did that the importance of sticking together and relying on your partner was vital to the Shepherd's victories. Now she had run off somewhere, alone. In the chaos of battle, that was a way to a quick end. No one doubted her skills with the sword, but even the best swordsman can be caught off guard. That's why each and every Shepherd was paired with someone that complimented their skill set.

Gods, what would he tell Chrom if something were to befall her? He had promised that would never happen!

Robin slowed to a jog when he heard the sounds of metal clashing. It wasn't like the jumbled mess of a warzone where everything just meshed together. This was different. He could make out each specific time a sword struck another. There was no way their skirmish had made it that far in, so it had to be something else.

It was coming from around the corner. The road before him ended, curving to the left and around the buildings. The sounds were close, so it couldn't be that far in.

Gripping his sword tighter, Robin turned the corner.

As he expected, and feared, Lucina alone was fending off three Valmese soldiers. They were pushing their advantage, as Lucina was having to constantly move backwards and stay defensive. He had to admit, however. She had done better than he gave her credit for. There were already two bodies crumpled up on the ground with pools of blood beneath them. It would have been a gruesome sight if not for the relief he felt.

The only thing that truly threw him off was the unarmed woman standing directly behind Lucina's back.

She had long black hair, and was wearing an outfit he had never seen before, save for the few pictures he would come across in his books. The Chon'sin word for it would be a kimono, but it looked like she had added some armor to her arms and midsection.

With the agitated look on her face, and the way she was squirming, Robin could tell she was no ordinary defenseless girl. That and her eyes were drawn to the discarded swords on the ground. She probably wanted to help, but knew that the moment she stepped out from behind Lucina she'd be in immediate danger.

There was no time to waste, then.

Opening his Arcthunder tome, Robin mumbled the spell's incantation. Electricity leapt from his outstretched hand and struck the furthest Valmese soldier.

"Argh!"

The man shook uncontrollably as the electricity coursed through him before he collapsed to the ground.

All heads turned towards Robin. The two Valmese were surprised by his sudden appearance, while the unknown woman and Lucina used their stupor to their advantage.

The mystery woman dove for one of the swords, gripping it with both hands and slicing through one of the soldiers on her way up.

Lucina simply lunged forwards, impaling the final man with Falchion, then yanking it out just as quick.

Both bodies joined their comrades on the unforgiving ground.

"Grandmaster Robin of the Ylissean League!" the black-haired woman moved towards him. "You have my gratitude. We were in quite the bind there."

"It's not a prob-" Robin paused midsentence and rose an eyebrow. "Wait, you know of us?"

"Of course!" The woman nodded excitedly. "I would speak more with you and the exalt, but first, perhaps we should finish fighting."

"Indeed," Robin agreed, subtly giving her a once over. "I advise you go back to our ship and get those cuts and scrapes looked at, however."

"I assure you, I am quite-"

"It's not open for discussion," Robin interrupted her with a raised hand. "You'll have every opportunity to join the fighting later, but not every opportunity to recover. If you go out there like you are right now, you could only injure yourself more."

She looked like she wanted to object, but nodded anyways. Robin knew that no soldier liked to hear that, but part of his job required him to get brutally honest with his troops on occasion. It wasn't always about victory. Sometimes it was just about the preservation of life.

"Lucina."

Robin turned his gaze towards the princess.

"Go with her and make sure she gets there okay."

"What?" Lucina furrowed her brow. "Say'ri is plenty capable, and I'm needed-"

"It wasn't a question," Robin said coolly. "We'll talk later."

Lucina ground her teeth in frustration, but she too eventually relented. She clearly didn't approve of his order. He could practically feel the anger radiating from her.

Robin crossed his arms, returning the glare.

"Double time. Chrom will probably start to worry soon."

At the mention of her father, Lucina's angry expression faltered. It was a bit of a low blow to play the father card, but he knew it would work.

"…Of course."

With Say'ri following close behind, the two took off in a jog towards their ship and back towards the Shepherds. Neither looked happy, but Robin couldn't please everyone.

Sending Say'ri back to treat her wounds was justified, but sending Lucina with her was probably a bit overboard. His reasoning was sound, though. Robin was sure this Say'ri person could stand her ground based on the way she carried herself, but not in her state. She looked tired, and had several minor wounds that would hamper her ability to fight.

Which is why he sent Lucina with her as an assurance of her safety. Robin had a feeling she might turn out to be rather important.

And, of course, he wanted to reprimand Lucina slightly. She _did_ go against his orders. Not just his, but Chrom's as well. It would be one thing if she only endangered herself with her lone wolf act, but by purposefully choosing to run off, she endangered others. Robin's safety was one thing, but did she not stop to think how her parents might react if, Naga forbid, she hurt herself? Or even worse, died?

It wasn't nice to think about, but it was a very real possibility. What if it hadn't been Robin that had rounded that corner, but another enemy? They both could have died right then and there.

"That's why we stick to the gods damned pair-up system," Robin pinched the bridge of his nose as he grumbled. "I suppose I should follow after them before someone notices our absence."

"A little late for that," said a deep voice that Robin didn't recognize.

The tactician looked up at the sky and sighed. How ironic.

 _I guess I deserved this one._

Robin drew his sword as he turned to face his new challenger.

A few dozen feet away stood an armored horse with a man in a full suit of red and black armor atop it. It was hard to see at this distance, but Robin could spot the familiar bright red of a tome in his hands.

He recognized him instantly thanks to Virion's description.

"Commander Farber, I take it?"

"You would be correct, Grandmaster."

Farber spurred his horse forwards, but kept him in a trot. Robin was wary about letting the enemy come so close, but if Farber wanted to fight, he would have started already.

So, for now, Robin would remain cautious and let him proceed. Maybe things could end without violence.

The horse came to a stop several feet from him. The knight looked a lot more imposing up close.

"What an amusing twist of fate, if not fortuitous. There I was, searching for that resistance leader that had escaped, and instead I happen upon the enemy tactician. All alone."

"Funny how things work," Robin smiled. "But, I'm afraid there's nothing amusing or fortuitous about it. Surrender now, and I assure you that you and the rest of your troops will be treated fairly."

"Neither I, nor my troops will ever kneel to anyone other than the Conqueror. We may not have won this battle, but we have yet to lose the war," Farber said firmly through his helmet. "As long as our beloved Walhart lives and breathes, we shall never surrender."

Robin rolled his eyes. Virion sure wasn't lying about his "fierce" devotion.

"Now I will offer you the same courtesy."

Farber pushed the face plate up on his helmet, revealing an older, grizzled face that was riddled with scars. No doubt they were acquired from battle.

"Surrender yourself to me, and I shall personally take you to the Conqueror myself. You will be treated as a prisoner of war, but at least you'll get to live."

"Fat chance."

Farber scoffed and lowered his face plate back down.

"So be it. My lord will be just as pleased with your head."

Jostling the reins, Farber turned the horse and lead it a respectable distance before turning it back towards Robin.

Robin gritted his teeth and sheathed his sword. This would be a battle of magic. That sword would only get in the way.

"I hope you realize the foolishness of your decision in your final moments."

Without another moment's hesitation, Farber opened his Arcfire tome and flung a ball of flame directly where Robin stood. The projectile moved quickly, leaving Robin with little time to react. If he dove to the right, he should be able to avoid the first spell, however. If he then retaliated with magic of his own, he should be able to gain the upper hand. He wouldn't aim at Farber himself, but at his horse. If he could get his steed out of the way, this battle became that much easier.

Robin tensed his legs, preparing to roll out of the way.

…But, they didn't move.

Robin's eyes widened at the fire as it grew closer. His mind was now screaming at his legs to move, but they didn't listen. His entire body had locked up.

The ground beneath him suddenly became unsteady, as if he were standing on that deck again as it went over wave after wave.

He continued to stare into the fire, eventually becoming lost in it.

Fire, fire, fire… the fires reached to the sky. Even though they danced on the top of the ocean's surface, they continued to burn so brightly. Hours after the fighting had ended, the flames remained on the horizon as a cruel reminder of what had occurred.

Burning, burning, burning… fire burned everything away.

* * *

 _ **And that's that! This chapter was long, but hopefully you enjoyed it. I'll be honest, it's 4AM where I am right now, so hopefully I didn't miss any spelling or grammar errors.**_

 _ **Whoops! Looks like Robin developed a fear for fire. This was something I was toying with for awhile, and finally decided I'd implement in here. I've always thought it'd be an interesting trait for our tactician to have, so I indulged myself a little here. Definitely something I'll come back to and reference in later chapters as well.**_

 ** _And yes, before anyone mentions it, I purposefully had Robin contradict himself a lot in chapter. Believe me, there's a reason in store for that. Next chapter, actually! Hopefully it'll throw a lot of you dedicated Robin x Lucina fans for a loop._**

 ** _Well, thanks for reading everyone. I'll see you all next time!_**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hey everyone! Welcome back!**_

 _ **Well, this chapter took considerably less time to write than the others, even though this chapter is actually the longest. I started this bad boy off thinking it'd only last around 6,000 words, but then it skyrocketed to a fat 10,000. What can I say, the ideas were just flowing this chapter.**_

 _ **Hopefully you all like it! If you enjoy bittersweet moments with a hint of melancholy then boy do I have the chapter for you!**_

 ** _Stick around at the end for some additional comments!_**

* * *

It burned. Everything burned.

Gods, it hurt so much… why did it hurt so much? Why did it hurt so much… The pain Robin felt was near unimaginable.

How did this happen again?

It was on the tip of his tongue, but it continued to evade his grasp. The loss of memory for the already amnesiac tactician nearly hurt more than his body.

"I think he's waking up," a voice spoke. "Robin? Robin, can you hear me?"

It sounded familiar… Lissa? Lissa was here with him…

Robin forced his eyes open.

Everything was a blur at first. He could see shapes and figures, but other than that everything was out of focus as if he were looking through a glass. Everything looked so brown or grey… where was he?

Robin blinked a few times. It didn't help much.

He groaned. He _hated_ this. The feeling of powerlessness was near debilitating. He couldn't see, he couldn't move, and he could barely even talk. It was even worse than the pain. Why was this happening to him?

Lissa's face suddenly invaded his vision. He couldn't see her clearly, but he could make out the familiar hairdo.

He felt a hand cup his cheek. It was cold. Thank Naga, it was cold.

"Robin," Lissa breathed in relief. He felt her thumb trace circles on his cheek before it moved up to his forehead.

"No fever," she mumbled.

Robin opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a raspy cough, and the pain returned. It shot up and down his right side relentlessly. It felt like someone was ripping off his skin… He would have cried out had he the strength.

"Here, here."

He suddenly felt the rim of a glass brush up against his lips. Leaning forwards ever so slightly, he gratefully accepted the small stream of water into his mouth. The cool liquid wetted his bone-dry throat. It was the best damn thing he had ever tasted.

A moment later, Lissa pulled the cup away, much to Robin's dismay.

"Mo…more…"

"Not so much at once. Baby steps."

Robin closed his eyes and sunk back into bed, savoring the little water he had. He licked his lips, trying to get whatever drops of water might be left.

Slowly but surely, a little more strength seeped into his limbs. Clarity slowly returned to him. When he opened his eyes, the dimly lit room he was laid up in was much clearer. He could see the wooden walls and the wooden roof. He could make out the four chairs that were evenly spaced around his bed side. He could even make out Lissa herself, who was watching him with a worried expression on her face.

He didn't like that. Robin knew how cheerful Lissa's bedside manner was. Something must have been seriously wrong for her to look so upset.

Fear gnawed at his heart. Was… was he worse off than he thought? Was there something more to this pain?

Robin looked at the side of his body that was hurting..

A terrified gasp escaped his lips.

"N-no…"

Robin then brought his shaky left hand to his face, slowly feeling around. He didn't feel anything off until he reached the bottom of his cheek. He let out a soft sob when he felt the soft cotton of the dressing on his neck.

"No, no, no…"

He looked to Lissa with wide, fearful eyes.

"It's okay, Robin, you're okay."

Lissa reached out to grab his shoulder, only to hesitate before stopping. Her hand hung in the air for a moment before falling back to her side.

"What-" Robin swallowed when his voice cracked. His voice was nothing more than a whisper. He didn't have the strength to speak any louder. "What happened?"

Lissa hesitated, causing Robin to feel even more afraid.

"L-Lissa…"

"Don't worry about that right now, okay?" Lissa smiled at him, but Robin knew better. "You just worry about getting better."

"Lissa, pl-please…"

The cleric bit her lip and turned her back to him. He could see her fiddling with something, but as to what he had no clue. Nor did he really care. Why wasn't she answering him? What happened to him? Just how serious was this?

Lissa turned back around eventually, the glass of water in her hands.

"Here. Drink some more first."

Robin wouldn't argue with that. He was so damn thirsty still.

When Lissa pressed the glass to his lips once more, he was more than ready to greedily suck down all he could. Lissa continued to lightly lift the glass until Robin had downed all of its contents.

It tasted… sweet, with a hint of bitterness.

Robin narrowed his eyes slightly. Water didn't taste like that.

He looked to Lissa, but he was already starting to feel drowsy.

"You… you…"

"Just rest, Robin," she said softly, lightly tousling his hair. "Just this once, rest."

Robin tried to speak, but the world had already begun to darken.

The moment his eyelids closed he lost consciousness.

* * *

Chrom propped himself up on the table, his eyes scanning the map of the port town beneath him. The Shepherds were back on the boat now, taking a well-earned reprieve before they moved all of their supplies from their ships to the land. It'd be a long process. With the amount of ships they have and the troops they bolster, it'll take the better part of a week.

Chrom himself, along with Frederick, Cordelia, and Lucina were currently going over the knight's post battle report, as they did after every battle. The only difference this time was the absence of a certain tactician.

Well, it was mostly just the three of them. Lucina sat in the corner in silence, her eyes lost and cloudy with thought. She would occasionally ask a question, or speak when spoken to, but otherwise she remained silent. It tugged at his heart to see his daughter in such a way, but he knew he couldn't do anything for her; as much as that realization pained him. Only time could now.

"What of the casualties?"

"We've counted eighty-nine of the deceased," Frederick answered. "Five of them were civilian. None from our side."

The exalt closed his eyes, letting out a silent curse. That five should have been zero.

"That means there are sixteen Valmese unaccounted for," Chrom sighed. "Any news on them?"

"Our fliers saw a group retreating from the scene after the fighting ended," Cordelia answered.

"And we are also in the process of searching each of the homes," Frederick added on. "If there are any hiding out, we'll find them."

"Have them stop."

Frederick frowned ever so slightly, a rare trace of emotion on the knight's usually stoic face.

"Milord?"

"We don't need to be invading these people's lives any more than we have to. Besides, I doubt any of the soldiers would be dumb enough to try and find shelter in the city they were occupying."

"Well said," Frederick nodded. "I'll call them off."

Chrom glanced up from the table, making sure the door to the room was closed.

"And what of this 'Say'ri?' Can we trust her?"

"I believe so," Frederick said. "Virion and Cherche confirmed who she said she was: former princess of Chon'sin. She currently leads the resistance army, which Virion also confirmed."

"Thank Naga," Chrom exhaled in relief. "We'll need all the help we can get. I'll talk with her more later. She might have some input on how we should proceed."

"And for now?"

"We stay put. It'll take at least a week for us to unload the ships and prepare for an invasion by land. It'll give us some time to rest and get our legs used to solid ground. During that time, we should send out a forward group to scout the area. Cordelia, I want someone up in the sky every hour. We need to make sure the Valmese don't get the jump on us while we're preparing."

Cordelia nodded and jotted something down in her notebook. Once she finished writing, her pen hesitated.

"What… what of Robin? Have you heard anything?"

Lucina's head perked up at that, but she remained silent

Chrom gritted his teeth and fell back into his chair. There was the question he dreaded answering. He wanted answers just as much as they did, but he just didn't have any. As of now, the only answers he had were bad ones.

"He's alive, but I haven't heard anything else. Lissa and Maribelle have been holed up in that room for hours. They won't let anyone in to see him yet."

Cordelia gasped, while Frederick's frown returned. Everyone took it hard when a Shepherd was injured. They were like a family. When one was in pain, they all were.

It came as a surprise to all that Robin was the downed Shepherd. Their tactician had always done a good job about avoiding any fatal wounds, or wounds of any kind for that matter. He had made it through the Plegian War without so much as a scratch. When the news broke that Robin was the one in critical condition, everyone was shocked.

"Is it really that bad?" she whispered in disbelief.

"It's not good," Chrom replied quietly, sparing a glance at his daughter. "Gaius and Olivia were the ones to find him. They both seemed pretty shaken up by it."

Lucina turned away, biting her lip.

The room fell silent. The quietness that hung on the air was painfully fragile. Chrom hated it, but he could do nothing to change it. It reminded of him of the days after his sister's death, which was something he hoped to never experience again.

"Come on, everyone," Chrom forced himself to grin. "Robin's strong. He'll pull through, and come back stronger than ever."

The exalt didn't know if he was lying or telling the truth, but someone needed to remain strong.

At that moment, the door opened slowly, and an exhausted Lissa walked through. Lucina was the first to react, immediately rising from her chair as her aunt walked in.

"Sister!" Chrom exclaimed, shooting up from his own. "How is he? Is he okay?"

"He just woke up," Lissa replied with a tired smile. "I had to sedate him, but he'll pull through."

The room once again fell quiet.

"'Had to?'" Chrom muttered, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean? Just how bad is it?"

Lissa took a deep breath, looking around and meeting each pair of waiting eyes before continuing.

"It's just so he can rest. When he awoke, he was on the verge of flipping out. Can't say I blame him. Second and third degree burns cover a little less than half his body. Primarily the right side."

Chrom gaped at her. Half his body? Could that really be so?

"We've had to administer healing magic every hour just to ward off infection and make sure the skin continues to mend correctly. It was touch-and-go for a little while, but we're in the clear now."

"He'll be okay though, right?" Cordelia asked.

"Hmhm," Lissa nodded, looking a little more upbeat. "It'll take a while before he's one hundred percent again, but given some time, he should be as good as new!"

Chrom chuckled shakily, absently running a hand through his blue hair.

"When can we see him?" Lucina spoke up.

"Now, if you want," Lissa shrugged. "Now that his wounds have been properly cared for, the risk for infection has lessened considerably. Just know he's still pretty out of it."

Lucina closed her eyes, pausing before nodding a single time.

"We'll visit him in the morning," Cordelia said upon noticing the anxious expression on both lords' faces. "You two go on ahead."

"Thank you both," Chrom smiled at the two of them and turned to his daughter. "Let's go, Lucina."

He didn't need to tell her twice. Lucina was already making her way to the door. Chrom hurried after her, with Lissa in tow. The infirmary wasn't far from where they were, thankfully, as the anticipation was killing him at this point. He had to see that his brother was alive and breathing for himself before he could feel any real relief.

"Oh!" Chrom stopped midstride. "I should go and get Sumia. She'll want to see him as well."

"Already done!" Lissa giggled. "I ran into her on the way here."

"Thank you, Lissa," Chrom wrapped his arm around Lissa's shoulders, lightly rubbing the top of her head as they walked. "…Thank you, for everything. Make sure to thank Maribelle as well, for me. You both did amazing."

"O-of course," Lissa returned the smile, slightly blushing at the honest praise coming from her brother.

Not long after, the trio came upon the infirmary. The door was slightly ajar, but Lucina hesitated at the entrance, her hand hanging in the air as she reached for the knob.

Chrom untangled himself from his sister and stepped forwards, placing his hand on hers and lightly moving it forwards. The two opened the door together and stepped inside.

The room was quiet. Incredibly quiet. It was as if when they had stepped through that doorway, time had slowed down somehow, if not stopped completely. It left an eerie feeling on the air. The slight smell that permeated through the room only amplified that effect. Lissa or Maribelle had clearly tried to remedy that, as he could smell the slightest hint of something flowery, but the smell of copper still remained.

Chrom's eyes immediately fell upon Robin. All things considered, he was sleeping rather peacefully. His chest was rising and falling slowly as he breathed in and out of his slightly opened mouth. He was so subdued that for a moment Chrom worried that something was wrong, but then he remembered his sister mentioning how he was sedated.

Then he noticed the wounds.

The bandages went from his thigh to his neck on his right side. The entirety of his arm and upper leg were wrapped tightly. The dressing on his ribs went as far in as the middle of his chest. From his midsection, the bandages went down to his hip. His undergarments hid part of it, but Chrom could see it continue down to his knee.

No blankets or sheets covered him, so the entire extent of his wounds were on display. The only thing he was wearing was a pair of undergarments to leave him with at least a little dignity.

Chrom turned his head away, suddenly feeling guilty for staring at his friend when he was in such a state. It felt wrong to analyze someone so greatly when they were at their weakest.

He flinched when he felt a hand grab onto his. Looking up, he saw Sumia looking at him with teary eyes.

"Sorry," Chrom sighed and looked back to Robin. "I didn't even notice you."

"I understand, sweetheart," Sumia replied softly and squeezed his hand. "I understand."

By now, Lucina had made her way to the left side of his bed. She stood there motionlessly, staring down at the unconscious man with a pained expression on her face. Lucina didn't reach out or say anything, but simply stood there. She wasn't crying, but Chrom could see the pain in her eyes. The guilt.

The tightness in his chest doubled. He wondered how many times she had been in this situation. More than he had, at least. More than she should.

Lucina eventually reached out to touch him, but stopped. Her hand hovered in the air a few inches away from his head, neither moving nor retreating. Her fingers were reaching out to him, but her hand didn't budge.

A few moments later, her hand fell helplessly back to her side. Lucina grabbed one of the nearby chairs, pulling it a little closer to the bedside before sitting down.

"Those two had sure gotten close," Sumia remarked.

"Indeed…"

The exalt suddenly felt out of place in the room. Almost like an intruder. Robin was like a brother to him, but right now, at this moment, he wasn't the one that needed to see him the most.

He looked over to his wife. The two shared a nod and quietly left the room. They could come back later. Their daughter didn't notice their retreat, nor did she notice when the door closed quietly behind them.

Once Chrom had left the room, his back immediately fell against the door he had just closed.

"Gods," he mumbled, tilting his head up and placing his hand over his closed eyes. "That was… that was surreal. Seeing him like that…"

"I know…"

"I really didn't believe it," he said with a hollow laugh. "I honestly didn't believe it could be Robin."

Sumia didn't say anything. She simply took hold of his free hand once more.

"I know it's scary, but he's going to be okay. Remember what Lissa said?"

"I know, I know," Chrom sighed and lowered his hand, his eyes now pointing up at the ceiling. "But, is he really going to be okay? I mean, you saw him in there. Will he ever be able to lift anything heavier than a sword? Will he ever be able to walk without a limp?"

"Honey."

Sumia reached up and cupped both of Chrom's cheeks and lightly brought his jaw down so his eyes met hers.

"It might be a rough going, but Lissa said he'd get better," Sumia reminded him gently. "And this is Robin we're talking about. He'll probably be up and running around by the week's end."

Chrom returned the smile and pulled his wife into a deep hug.

"Gods, what would I do without you," Chrom whispered into her brown hair.

Sumia giggled and returned the hug, burying her face into his shoulder.

"I love you so damn much," Chrom said and squeezed a little harder. "Never forget that."

Sumia blushed and closed her eyes.

"I love you too."

* * *

Lucina sat hunched over, her elbows resting on her knees and her forehead resting in her hands. The princess sat perfectly still, completely silent. She was content to simply listen to Robin's slow breathing.

Her eyes were currently scanning the wooden floorboards, waiting for the wood to somehow give her the answers on what to do.

It was just the two of them in the room. Her parents had left hours ago, while Lissa stepped out to do something. Lucina remembered her saying something about where she was going, but she hadn't been listening at the time.

And even though Robin was only a few feet away from her, she felt so incredibly alone. She was so used to hearing the sounds of his voice when they were together. Used to the silly jokes he made, or the sarcastic comments he was so known for giving. She knew that if he were conscious right now, he'd even be comforting her and giving her advice, because that's just the man he was. If the shoe were on the other foot, Robin wouldn't be sitting here so silently.

So, why? Why couldn't she do the same now? Why was it so different?

She eventually straightened, running a hand through her hair to push it away from her eyes. Those eyes lingered on Robin, watching as his chest slowly rose and fell.

"This is all my fault…"

If only she hadn't left Robin alone. If only she hadn't gone off in the first place. If only she told him where she was going. If only she brought him along… All of these what-ifs swirled around her mind, tormenting her. She could have done any one of these things, and then maybe her friend wouldn't be in this situation right now.

"I'm so sorry, Robin… I never should have left you there alone. I should never have let my anger get the best of me."

She had originally been rather angry with him for sending her back. Knowing what he knew of her past, where did he get off on reprimanding her like that? Say'ri was important to their goal of averting the end, and to her, that's all that mattered. Robin should have agreed with her. In her mind, her mission had always been above the Shepherds. Above the war, above everything. The _only_ thing that mattered to her was saving the world; saving the future. Even if the cost was her own life, she was truly prepared to make that exchange. She thought Robin of all people would respect and understand that.

All that mattered was averting that catastrophe she lived.

Right?

"I truly believed that was for the best," the princess whispered.

She truly believed that until she saw Gaius and Olivia struggle to carry the tattered remains of their friend back to the ship.

Lucina had been bracing herself for this since day one. The moment she came back in time, she had made peace with the fact that loved ones might be lost. That those people she held so dear might inevitably die again. That was the thing about time: some things were just unchangeable.

She was prepared for it, and yet, when she saw Robin's eerily peaceful face as his breathing all but ceased, all of that disappeared. At that moment, all she cared about was well-being.

In the grand scheme of things, it was foolish of her. Robin could very well have been the man that killed her father, and even so, she was beside herself in fear that Robin might not pull through. She wanted nothing more for him to recover even with that knowledge.

"Why?"

Once that fear had passed, the guilt of what happened set in. The guilt of everything set in.

Lucina's nails dug into her palms, drawing blood.

"Why do I continue to fail?"

She couldn't save her people, nor could she save her country. Her father left her that one responsibility, and she still failed as the exalt. Even when given a second chance, she couldn't even save one single person. Her aunt still died. Why did her friends even follow her? It wasn't like she's changed anything or done anything of note. Why did her parents love her? She failed them. Why did Robin befriend her? She's been nothing but trouble for him.

A single tear rolled down her cheek and fell to the floor below.

" _Why_?!"

Tears streamed down the princess's pale face as her shoulders began to shake. She buried her face in her hands in a vain attempt to muffle her sobs, not caring about the trace of blood left over from her nails.

 _Useless, useless, useless!_

Once those flood gates were open, she couldn't stop herself from thinking about all the tragedies of her life. Her family's death, her country's ruin, her world's destruction… it all came bursting out. One after one, each bad memory layered on top of each other, only proving to intensify her feelings of sadness and despair.

Thank Naga she was alone, because she probably looked like a mess. Sitting all alone in the room of an unconscious man while she bawled her eyes out. Some princess she was.

After a few minutes, the tears began to die down. Her shoulders ceased their shaking. She took a few deep, ragged breaths to calm herself.

Wiping the stray tears from her eyes, Lucina raised her head and looked at Robin.

"I'm sorry," Lucina spoke softly, taking his good hand in hers. With her other, she brushed a stray lock of his white hair behind his ear. "You're laid up in here, and here I am, only thinking of myself."

Lucina smiled, but not really. This expression came easy to her. It was the same smile she gave anyone when they worried about her, or they asked how she was fairing. It was just as fake as she felt.

"It won't happen again. I swear it."

Lucina lowered her head, allowing her forehead to rest on his hand.

She stayed like that for what felt like a while. His touch comforted her. When she held onto his hand, her mind suddenly became clear. The self-pity and self-loathing from only moments ago were now no longer anywhere to be found. When she gripped his hand, all she could think about was the beating of his heart, and how firmly it beat beneath her fingertips.

Lucina knew that this was unprofessional, and probably even unethical, but she didn't care. No one else was here to see her. No one would leave this room knowing what had happened but her. Everything that just happened would only be remembered by her.

That thought comforted her. No matter what happened; no matter what the future held, this memory would always belong to her. It would always be hers and hers alone. No one would know of how she unraveled. No one would see her taking comfort in their tactician's hand in hers. No one would know how she truly felt.

…No one would bear witness to anything she might say or do.

"You better get better soon," she said without looking up. "There are still so many things I wish to do before…"

Lucina cut herself off before she could finish her thought. There were only bad endings to that statement.

"Shall I come back later, darling?"

Lucina flinched at the sudden voice and nearly fell out of her seat. She shot up and away from Robin, her head immediately turning towards the doorway where Maribelle stood.

"Oh, Maribelle," Lucina mumbled, straightening her hair out with her hands. She hoped the troubadour didn't notice the slight blush that tinted her cheeks. Just how long had she been standing there? "N-no, that's quite all right."

Maribelle smiled and entered the room with a Mend stave in her hands.

"I just need to administer another course of healing magic and change his bandages, then I'll be out of your hair."

"You don't need to do that," Lucina smiled awkwardly. "Robin needs you now more than I."

Maribelle smiled back, then leaned her staff against the bed frame and began her work. Lucina suddenly felt out of place, as if she might be in the way, but she remained in her seat.

The first thing she did was remove his dressings. The skin underneath was incredibly red and swollen, but the wounds that were once there were healing. The scars were beginning to set in. There were still a few areas where blood seeped out, but it was a far cry from how the tactician looked when Gaius and Olivia first brought him back.

With the bandages off, Maribelle grabbed her stave. Starting at his neck, Maribelle brought the Mend a few inches away from his skin. A moment later, the end of the staff began to glow. Lucina recognized the soft hum of the healing magic.

Robin groaned in his sleep, his head turning back and forth.

Maribelle sighed and lowered her staff.

"Would you mind holding his head still, dear? If he continues to move around like that it'd make things a little more difficult."

Lucina nodded and rose from her seat. She reached out to grab his face, but hesitated.

"Err, how should I do this?"

"Just hold his head firm enough to keep it in place."

Lucina did as she was told and carefully placed a hand on each cheek.

"Even when he's sedated he continues to give me trouble," Maribelle grumbled and brought her staff back to his neck.

The soft hum of the magic started back up again. Robin groaned again, but this time Lucina kept his head in place.

Lucina stared at the closed eyes of the tactician, her thumb idly tracing circles on his cheek. His skin was surprisingly warm.

Robin always seemed so infallible, but at this moment, he seemed so… small. It was strange. Before she had come to the past, Lucina had only known the tactician as the ruthless strategist that never lost a battle. The cunning wolf that lived for the hunt. That preconceived image changed as Lucina got to know the man better, but he still carried that air of strength and intelligence she had expected. Robin could easily command everyone's attention when he wanted to. Be it if he were giving out orders, discussing strategies, or simply just talking; he always seemed like such a dominant force. His presence was always felt.

And yet, while Lucina held Robin's head as gingerly as she would a child, he felt so frail.

"Lucina."

Maribelle's sudden voice in her ear broke her reverie. She was looking at her with an expectant stare. Had she said something while Lucina had been spacing out?

"You can let go now, my dear."

Lucina's eyes widened and she quickly let go of the tactician's face.

"S-sorry."

Maribelle simply smirked as she continued.

The princess stood there awkwardly for a second more before she sat back down in her chair.

"This will probably take another hour," Maribelle said. "You can go and get some air, if you wish. I would retrieve you when I finished."

"I'm fine. Don't mind me."

Lucina took a deep breath and looked down at her hand, her thumb running over the fingertips on her other hand. Robin's warmth still lingered.

* * *

Robin's eyes slowly fluttered open. He let out a moan when he saw the familiar wooden ceiling of the boat's interior. Damn boat.

 _It wasn't just a dream. Damn it._

As if to spite him for thinking such a foolish thought, the pain returned. The right side of his body hurt like all hell, but it didn't seem as bad now. Maybe it was because he didn't feel as out of it, or maybe the sleep did him some good, because it wasn't as encompassing as before. He could actually think straight. He could actually remember what had happened, as well as a few blurry spots in between.

"Ah, son of a bitch."

If Robin could, he would facepalm. How could he freeze up in the middle of battle? What the hell was the matter with him? It was shameful.

The Grandmaster of Ylisse, the strategist of the Ylissean League, had made mistakes that not even a rookie greener than grass would make.

And now he was burnt all over, covered in wrappings like some half-alive mummy.

 _Do I even deserve to be-?_

Robin shook his head. That was a dangerous line of thinking. He needed some fresh air before he festered in this bed any longer.

He looked around the room before he moved, finally noticing the fact that he wasn't alone. Not even close.

Maribelle was sitting in a chair that was pushed up against the far wall, her head resting in her hand as she peacefully slumbered. His chest tightened with guilt at the thought of how long she had been here. He'd have to thank her and Lissa later.

The big surprise however was the blue-haired princess. She was in the chair closest to his bed, her body leaning forward in her seat while her head rested on his bed. Her head was so close to his good arm that he could even feel her breath tickle at his skin. It looked rather uncomfortable to sleep like that, but she seemed to be fast asleep.

 _Just how long have I been asleep?_

And how long had she been here with him? Regardless, Robin was relieved. He was truly worried that she'd be pissed with him, but maybe that wasn't entirely the case. That was just one more load off his mind.

The only problem now was getting out of bed without inducing mind-numbing levels of pain or waking either of the sleeping beauties.

Taking a deep breath to brace himself, Robin moved his right leg over the side of the bed.

Pain.

Robin bit his lip and pushed his back into the bed, doing his best to not cry out. It felt like someone had just ripped off his skin like a piece of tape.

Once the pain finally settled, Robin pushed himself up with his good arm as slowly as he could. It hurt, but not as badly.

He was finally sitting up.

Robin took a handful of deep breaths. He had barely even moved, but he felt exhausted.

"Gods damn it," Robin breathed through gritted teeth.

At this point, he was continuing simply to prove that he actually could do it. He'd get out of this damned room if it was the last thing he did.

He moved his left leg over the side of the bed. Now both of his feet were touching the floor.

Now came the hard part.

Robin pushed himself into a standing position…

"Ah!"

…And immediately collapsed.

Thankfully the wall was close to the bed, otherwise he would have fallen straight to the ground.

Robin hissed through his teeth, a slew of curses that would leave a sailor blushing echoing in his head.

Leaning against the wall, he looked around for something to prop him up. Anything that he could use for a makeshift cane.

He saw a Mend stave leaned up against his bed frame.

"Sorry Maribelle," he whispered and grabbed the long, wooden staff. If she knew that he was about to use her prized healing equipment as a walking aid, she'd probably do him in herself.

Gripping it with his right hand, he tested himself by putting his weight on it. His right arm was just as badly burned as the rest of that side, but thankfully it looked like his palm had escaped any damage. It hurt to lean against it, but not anymore than it already did.

Pushing himself away from the wall, he hobbled towards the door. It was a slow process, but at least he could walk at all. Baby steps.

But, before he could even make it to the door handle, it twisted and the door opened.

Chrom's eyes immediately met his.

He had to give himself some credit. Never before had he done something to leave the exalt so dumbfounded.

"Robin, what in-"

Before he could continue, Robin shushed him and motioned him to go back outside.

Chrom stared at him with the same stupefied expression, but eventually he did back out of the room. Robin limped after him, using the Mend as a cane, then closed the door behind him.

"Now you can talk," Robin wheezed, his back falling against the closed door.

"What in _Naga's_ name are you doing out of bed walking around?!" Chrom hissed. "Have you taken a look at yourself?"

"Why yes I have, thank you very much," Robin smirked tiredly. "No amount of fire could ruin this dashing figure."

"…After all that's happened, you think it's wise to act smart with me?" Chrom frowned dangerously, crossing his arms. "We were all worried sick about you, you know. And this is how you repay that? By cracking jokes and reopening your wounds just so you can take a stroll?"

Robin closed his eyes and turned his head up to the ceiling, unknowingly mirroring the same movements his best friend had made earlier that day.

Of course he wouldn't understand. Why would he? Robin just deflected as he always did.

"I can't…"

"Hm?" Chrom raised an eyebrow.

"I can't stay in that room," Robin repeated quietly. "Do you understand? If I… If I stay in that bed any longer, if I stay in that bed, unable to move as I lay there and take it, I'm going to start having bad thoughts. I'm going to start thinking bad things."

Chrom's glare softened, his arms falling back to his sides.

"I've just got to get some fresh air," Robin sighed, purposefully avoiding his eyes at this point. "Just help me to the deck, let me clear my head, then you can take me back."

The lord stood there silently, his eyes lost in thought as he considered the proposition. Robin could understand his anger. He had every right to be upset… Instead of being truthful from the start, he had defected to his classic strategy of deflecting with sarcasm. He hated that part of himself, but it came so naturally to him. It was hard _not_ to do it at this point.

After a few seconds, Chrom nodded.

"Fine. At least let me help you walk, then."

Robin smiled gratefully and accepted the shoulder offered to him. Wrapping his good arm around his neck, the two slowly made their way towards the stairs that lead to the boat's deck.

"Are you sure you can make it up these steps?" Chrom asked when they stopped before the stairs.

"As long as you're here, yeah."

Chrom nodded and the two began to make their way up. They took it slowly, one stair at a time. It hurt, but by this point, Robin had grown used to the pain. If anything, it was starting to become useful. It was hard to focus on anything specific when his body ached like it had never ached before.

After what felt like an hour, the two cleared the near insurmountable set of stairs.

Robin exhaled in relief when he felt the cool night air lick at his wounds. Seeing the dim light coming from the full moon above set him at ease. He had always preferred nighttime. It was quiet and calming.

Chrom led Robin to the ship's railing. Once they got close enough, Robin broke off from Chrom and fell against the wood with the grace of a rock.

Robin coughed and wheezed for air. They had walked probably less than twenty feet, but he felt like he had just finished running a marathon. His body was drenched in sweat. There's another thing Maribelle could get pissed at him for. She'd probably have to change his dressings the minute he returned.

"Well, I brought you out here," Chrom sighed and stopped beside him. "Mind explaining it to me now?"

Robin glanced at him as he gasped for air.

"E-explain what?"

He knew exactly what Chrom wanted to hear, but he asked regardless in the small off-chance that he was referring to something else.

Even to the bitter end, he was afraid to voice his weaknesses.

"You said that if you stayed cooped up in that room any longer you'd start to have 'bad' thoughts," Chrom reminded him and turned towards him. "What did you mean by that?"

"Right," Robin mumbled and turned his eyes to the dark waters below. "Where should I begin?"

"Anywhere," he shrugged. "I'm prepared to listen."

Despite himself, Robin couldn't help but smile. He truly didn't deserve a friend like Chrom. His kindness and patience deserved the truth in return, but therein lied the problem: how could he explain his thoughts if he couldn't even make sense of them himself?

Maybe that's why they were called insecurities. They left the tactician feeling insecure about every little thing.

"…I don't think I can continue being your tactician," Robin admitted quietly after a pregnant pause. "Nor should I deserve to."

Chrom didn't say anything. Robin could feel his piercing gaze boring holes into the side of his head, but he didn't dare look at him.

It was so quiet that if he didn't know any better, Robin would have thought that the only one that had heard his confession was the ocean below.

"That is…" Chrom began, Robin hanging off his every word. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. What in hell's name has you thinking that?"

Robin turned to Chrom with wide eyes, not expecting such a strong rebuttal right out of the gates.

"I mean, you said it yourself. Just look at me."

Robin's eyes fell upon the wounded side of his body, his lips tugging downwards in a frown. He looked like a battered mess of a human being.

"By the time I can fight at full strength, the war may very well reach its peak. As it is, I can barely walk without assistance, let alone hold anything in my right arm. Who knows when I can fight fully again? You just can't wait on me that long."

Chrom scoffed and leaned against the railing beside him.

"Robin, even with you at less than half your capacity, we have a better chance at winning this war with you than we do without," Chrom said truthfully and glanced at him. "That is, unless you really do want to retire. If that's the case, then I-"

"Of course not!" Robin interrupted vehemently. "I want to see this through till the end just as much as you do!"

Robin hung his head, his shoulders slumping.

"I just don't want to hold you back."

"As if that could happen," Chrom chuckled, surprising him. "I don't know if you realize this Robin, but you're just as much the leader of this army as I am. Not only do you lead our troops, but you inspire them. Maybe even more than I."

Robin snorted and shook his head.

"Are you kidding me? You're the one that always knows what to say, my friend. You're the one that gives the inspirational speeches. I'm just the brains behind that heart."

"You see?" Chrom smiled at him. "Each and every one of us are integral to the army. We all have our rolls that we play. If you were to leave, our strength would only lessen. We are stronger together than we ever could be alone."

Robin stared long and hard at Chrom, his eyes searching his. When all that Robin could see was honesty staring back at him, he turned away.

"Fiiine," Robin relented without much of a fight. "You win. As long as I don't slow you guys down, I'll stay on as tactician."

"Good," Chrom grinned, only for it to falter moments later. "But, there's something else that you said that's bothering me… you don't 'deserve' to be tactician? What did you mean by that?"

Robin's eyes widened, his heart jumping into his throat. He had completely forgotten that he had said that!

"Oh, that?" Robin laughed awkwardly, wincing when it caused the pain to flare. "It was just a slip of the tongue. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Robin, that's not going to work. I know you well enough to not fall for that."

Robin swallowed. Why did he have to go and say that? Why didn't he keep that part in his damn head like he thought he had?

Oh, Gods, why did he say that?

"…Don't ask me that."

Chrom frowned and rose an eyebrow.

"What are you going on about? You're the one that said it. There must be some reason you believe it had any merit."

"I-I know what I said," Robin stammered. "But, my mind's a mess right now and it just kind of slipped. So, I'm asking you. Don't ask me that. Please."

Chrom's brow twitched. If anything, Robin had only made him more worried, and more confused.

"You saying that doesn't make it go away. If anything, it only makes me more worried."

Robin let out a deprecating laugh, catching the exalt off guard.

"Believe me, you of all people don't want to hear this."

"Well, you've really backed yourself into a corner because now I feel I need to hear it if it involves me," Chrom said seriously.

Robin bit his lip and clamped his eyes shut. The longer he talked, the further hole he dug himself.

He was so scared to actually admit it out loud, but part of him longed for the chance to get it off his chest. He didn't know if his wounded state lowered his inhibitions, or if he actually really did want to get it off his chest, but he could feel the dreaded words sit anxiously on his tongue, just waiting to be released.

"Robin… It's me. You can tell me-"

"I've lost my objectivity."

"Huh?" Chrom blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I voluntarily walked into my own demise today, and all because I lost eye sight of… her. I abandoned my post and ran off looking for her because her wellbeing mattered more to me above all else," he explained in regret. "Look where that left me."

"Wait, wait, slow down here. Who is' 'her?' Do you mean Lucina?"

"…Yeah."

"So?" Chrom shrugged. "You put yourself in harm's way to protect my daughter. I can't fault you for that. I think we'd both rather the results were different, but what you did today is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, I should be thanking you."

"You don't understand," Robin sighed. "I've put her above everything, Chrom. Above myself, above the Shepherds, above everything. I put her above all else today, and I can't even assure you I won't do it again."

Chrom tilted his head to the side, his eyes murky with thought as he registered each and every one of Robin's words.

"…What are you saying?"

Robin faced Chrom with a sad smile.

"That I'm in love with your daughter."

Whatever Chrom had prepared himself to say died on his tongue. His mouth hung open dumbly, while his eyes threatened to pop out of his skull.

After a few seconds of insufferable silence, Chrom closed his mouth and swallowed. He opened his mouth to speak again, but nothing came out. He repeated this process a few times before a single word could finally make its way out.

"What?"

"I love her, Chrom," Robin whispered somberly, resting his forehead in his hands. He hurt like hell, and he'd probably fall over if not for the railing, but he didn't care. "I love her so much that I can barely operate. I can't sleep, I can't think. Like this itch I can't scratch, she's always in the back of my mind."

Robin was painfully aware of his voice cracking and how pitiful he looked right now, but he continued on anyways. He was afraid that if he stopped now, he might never continue again, and he wanted to say what he needed to say before Chrom could speak.

"You can see why I don't think I deserve this job anymore. I've lost it, Chrom… I've lost it."

Robin looked down at himself. He couldn't see his wounds thanks to his now blurred vision, but that didn't matter. He could still feel them.

"So, go ahead. Hit me. Throttle me. Do what you need to; I won't hold it against you.

Having said what he needed to, Robin dared to look over at the father of the woman he loved.

Chrom watched him silently with a sad look on his face.

The lack of anger on his friend's face genuinely surprised him. Was he not disgusted with him? Did he not want to absolutely eviscerate him right now? He expected at least a punch, but all Chrom was throwing at him right now was pity.

"Robin," Chrom began painfully slowly. "Sweet Naga, this has to be the strangest day of my life. I… I truly don't know what to say."

 _Well, that's not surprising._

"But," Chrom continued, shocking Robin. "I can say this: wanting to protect someone you love doesn't make you a failure."

Chrom sighed and looked out to the port town, the moon reflecting off of his bright blue eyes.

"Don't you remember? I was in your same shoes not so long ago."

Robin's eyes widened in realization. How could he have forgotten?

"Back when Emm was captured, I was willing to do anything to get her back," he said. "I was even willing to lay down my own life if it meant I could save hers…"

And yet again, this man who Robin had once thought he had all figured out, surprised him once again.

Chrom turned to him with a genuine smile on his face. He reached out, giving Robin's good shoulder a squeeze.

"Wanting to protect the ones you love… that does not make you a failure. That makes you human."

"Chrom…"

"And, if that person you love is…"

Chrom cut himself off before finishing that sentence. He cleared his throat before continuing.

"Well, who am I to stand in the way?"

"…What?" Robin asked in disbelief.

"Is what I said really that surprising?" Chrom frowned.

"Yes!"

"I mean… is it weird as hell? Yes. Does it creep me out? Of course. Do I like it? Gods, no."

Robin's expression fell. That was more in line with the reaction he had been originally expecting.

"But," Chrom sighed deeply. "You're both adults. I don't control either of you… and if you can make her happy, what kind of father would I be to disapprove?"

"Chrom… are you serious?"

"Yeah. I really am," Chrom nodded. "But, know this. If you hurt a single hair on that head, and I mean one, _single_ hair, you're going to wish that you really did walk into your demise today."

Robin swallowed, a shiver running up his spine. He was used to Chrom's playful threats whenever they bickered, but this was something else entirely. He was being painfully serious. There was no joking about it.

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes."

"Good. Well, do you feel better, then?"

"Actually, yeah," Robin replied. "I gotta tell you, that's a huge weight off my shoulders"

"Just don't come to me looking for advice, okay? Or talk to me about it at all, in fact," Chrom added and glanced over at him. "I'd rather not give tips to my best friend on how to court my daughter. This is strange enough as it is."

"I think that can be arranged," Robin laughed, then cradled his ribs as the pain came screaming back. "Ow…"

"Damn, I nearly forgot!" Chrom exclaimed and reached out to his friend, his hands hesitating in midair. "Come on, we should get you back."

"Hold your horses," Robin groaned and shooed him away. "This'll probably be the only time I'm able to walk around on my own. Give me at least a few more minutes before I reside to my doom."

"Maribelle will definitely not be pleased," Chrom agreed, trying not to wince himself. He remembered his own lecture when he tried to train the day after a muscle sprain. It wasn't pretty.

"Do your 'best friend' a favor, would you? She'll probably be awake any second. Go tell her I went to the bathroom and that I'll be right back."

"You want to lie to her after you disobeyed your ordered bedrest?"

"Yeah."

"Fair enough. I suppose a little white lie is better than getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar."

"Exactly."

"Just don't go anywhere, okay?" Chrom said as he made his way to the stairs. "And when Maribelle inevitably finds out, you're taking the blame."

"Yeah, yeah," Robin mumbled and waved him off, his eyes now on the full moon above.

Chrom chuckled and shook his head. It always surprised him how quickly Robin could bounce back to his usual self after everything was said and done. He was truly appreciative of that trait in this instance, as it always did a good job of avoiding any awkward silences.

The exalt was feeling surprisingly chipper, all things considered. The equivalent of a bomb had just been dropped on him, but he actually didn't feel all that bad about it. Robin was a good guy, and Lucina deserved to be happy more than anyone he knew. If they were meant to be together, then so be it. He could live with it, even if it rubbed him the wrong way in every way, shape, and form.

Chrom kept on thinking happy, uplifting thoughts right up until he stopped in front of the stairs that led to the deck below.

There, standing completely still with a wool blanket in her hands, was none other than his daughter, Lucina.

"Good evening, Father. I-I thought you might get cold," Lucina smiled sweetly and handed him the blanket. "I'll see you in the morning. Good night."

Before he could even hope to say anything to stop her, Lucina turned on her heel and bolted out of there, leaving her father standing there holding the blanket she had given him.

* * *

 _ **Somewhere not too far away…**_

The old innkeeper leaned against the wall behind him, his hands occupied with cleaning one of his many tankards as he looked around his establishment.

It was a quiet night tonight; which would be considered strange with everything that's happened. With the war going on, the number of travelers had skyrocketed. Thousands of Valm's people became refugees. Many had to leave their homes simply to avoid becoming the citizens of an occupied town, or even worse, to avoid death herself.

Those refugees brought the innkeeper a lot of business. His inn was the only one around for miles, as well as the only one that was somewhat close to the Mila Tree. All things considered, this war was good for the innkeeper. He was out far enough where he didn't have to worry about the silly fighting, but close enough to reel in those that needed a roof over their heads for a night.

That was the truth of the matter, but it left the innkeeper with a sour taste in his mouth. His business was supposed to be a place for friends to wet their tongue after a long travel. It wasn't meant to house families who had lost it all. It was truly heartbreaking, but unfortunately, he wasn't in the position to give these people a roof free of charge. He needed the money to keep this place up and going.

So, yes. It was odd that he had so little customers today. The only two that had come in all day were this young man and his lady friend.

The innkeeper eyeballed the two as they ate their dinner. They were a strange couple, to say the least. The black-haired boy appeared to be a performer of some sorts, as he kept shouting the strangest things. The auburn-haired girl that was with him scolded him every time he did so, which never failed to elicit a chuckle out of the old man. Ah, young love.

The door to the inn busted open, nearly causing the innkeeper to jump out of his skin.

Much to his surprise, it was a young girl that came walking in, her short blue hair bouncing on her shoulders with each springy step she took. The innkeeper was slightly taken back at first. Blue hair was such an odd hair color to have…

The young woman, who couldn't have been any older than his fifteen-year-old granddaughter, also had on what had to be the strangest outfit he had ever seen. It was this black and purple cloak that went down to her feet, with an eerie string of eyeballs that went up and down her arms. The design creeped him out more than it surprised him.

"Good day, sir," the young girl smiled brightly at him as she set down at the bar the innkeeper manned. "Do you have anything back there to wet my whistle? Something that's preferably free?"

"I have water."

"Perfect!"

The innkeeper quirked an eyebrow at the odd girl while he poured her a glass from his saved well water.

"Here," he said and handed it to her.

Finishing it in one single gulp, the girl slammed her glass on the counter and wiped her mouth.

"Thanks a million," she sighed in relief. "I was nearly dying of thirst."

"Of course," the innkeeper nodded and took the glass away. "Anything else I can do for you, lass?"

"Yeah, actually, there is," the girl said and scooted forward in her seat. "I'm looking for someone. My father, in fact. Maybe you've seen him?"

"Well, I might have," the innkeeper mumbled and rubbed his beard. "I see a lot of people nowadays. Have a name?"

"Robin. If it helps, he should look a lot like me, but has white hair. He's probably even wearing the same clothes."

The innkeeper placed a hand to his chin and gave the girl a once over.

"Sorry lass, can't say anyone by that name rings a bell," he replied with an apologetic smile. "I think I'd remember someone dressed like that."

"Damn," the girl hung her head and sighed. "Man, I'll never find him at this rate. I was so sure he would be here! Did I make a miscalculation somehow? Maybe I should have-?"

The innkeeper's eyes softened as listened to the defeated ramblings of the poor girl. Someone so young and so full of energy shouldn't have to scour the lands for her father. This damnable war had already ruined too many families, why did it have to ruin another?

"You might have some luck if you look for him around the Mila Tree," the innkeeper told her. "Many of the refugees make a pilgrimage to the tree before they settle down somewhere, in hopes that they might hear The Voice speak. There could be a chance your father is there."

"Really?!" the girl exclaimed and jumped out of her seat. "Where is this 'Mila Tree?!'"

"It's north of here" he replied. "Probably a week or so away on foot."

"I better get moving, then! Thanks mister!"

"No problem, lass. But, you should know that-!"

Before he could explain to the girl that the Mila Tree was most likely surrounded by soldiers, she had run out of his establishment.

"Damn kids," the innkeeper grumbled and rubbed his neck. Well, it's not like he could fault her. He'd probably do the same in her shoes.

Not long after her departure, his other two customers jumped up too.

"Come on, Owain!" the auburn shouted and dragged him to the entrance.

"The Scion of Darkness is always prepared for-" the kid yelped when his girlfriend's tugging nearly caused him to trip. "S-Severa, you don't have to drag me!"

"Did you not hear that girl?" Severa grouched and turned to face her friend. "We've got to follow her."

Owain fumbled for something to say, causing his friend to groan and stomp her foot.

"See, this is exactly why I have to drag you along. While you're lost in your own little head, I'm the only one paying attention!"

"Hey, I was thinking up special moves for the _both_ of us!"

Severa rolled her eyes and snatched his hand back up, then pulled him rather forcefully out of the inn, the young boy whining all the way.

The innkeeper watched it all unfold with a blank expression on his face. After a few seconds, he shrugged and went back to his work.

"Good luck," he said to the now empty room as he cleaned another glass.

* * *

 _ **And there you have it!**_

 ** _So, before this chapter, the pacing of this story had been steadily moving along, if not a little slowly. I decided to throw all of that out the window with this chapter. Let's get this ball rolling._**

 ** _I thought about simply ending the chapter on the reveal of Lucina standing there, but then I thought "how can I make this even better?" So, I thought I'd throw in a little tidbit about everyone's favorite daddy's girl, along with her newfound sidekicks. We're getting there! I don't know when I'll throw in the little rascals, but it shouldn't be long now. And yes, there's an explanation for while they're all in Valm. That'll be explained later._**

 ** _I also thought I'd mix things up a bit with that Chrom and Robin scene. I've always been curious about what would happen if Chrom found out first, so screw it, here we are. Personally, I don't think Chrom would really care THAT much if his adult daughter shacked up with his best bud. Like, yeah, I doubt he'd be pleased, but the dude basically worships the ground Robin stands on. I don't think it'd be too far-fetched for him to give his blessing. Plus, he's a reasonable guy. He wouldn't immediately veto it just because of his own feelings on it._**

 ** _Also, just to add some clarity to last chapter, saying Robin developed PTSD from his events is a bit of a stretch at the moment. Something like that takes more time to develop. It was definitely something akin to that, but I wouldn't say it was exactly like that. That's just my thoughts on it all. But, it is something I'm going to think about, and something I'll bring back later on._**

 ** _Anyhow, just thought I'd give you all a little insight to my thought process with this chapter. Hope you all liked it!_**

 ** _See you next time!_**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Hey everyone! Welcome to the next chapter of From the Ground Up!**_

 _ **Sorry for the longer wait with this one fellas. I swear, I must have written this chapter three or four times before I finally found a draft that I liked.**_

 _ **I've got a lot in store for you all this chapter, so I hope you enjoy it!**_

* * *

Lucina moved with a purpose down the halls, her mind racing as fast as she.

 _I'm in love with your daughter._

Those words kept ringing in her ears, over and over. Each time causing her heart to contort in some different matter. Each time causing her heart to ache in a different way.

Reaching her room, Lucina entered and closed the door shut behind her.

Pressing her back to the wood, she slowly inched towards the ground.

 _I love her, Chrom. I love her so much I can barely operate. I can't eat, I can't sleep… Like this itch I can't scratch, she's always in the back of my mind._

Lucina hugged her knees to her chest and let her head rest in her hands.

Why did this have to happen? Why did _she_ of all people have to hear that? Lucina had finally come to terms with the fact that some things could be put above saving the future. But, this? Love and relationships? This was something she had never even considered experiencing. And yet, Robin's words left her with butterflies in her stomach. She could barely even catch her breath. She felt like she was floating, yet at the same time, sinking.

While she sat motionless with her head in her hands, a battle was taking place within her. A war between her head and her heart.

She was painfully aware of how little her feelings mattered in the grand scope of things. They were simply a single spec of sand in the desert that was her future.

It was one thing to have these feelings, but it was another entirely to act on them.

With the fate of humanity hanging on the balance, it didn't matter how she felt. She came to the past for one reason, and that was to prevent the calamity she had lived through. That meant everything else went on hold while she stopped Grima's rise.

Being there for her friend as he was recovering was one thing, but this was something else entirely. Love… she didn't know if she was prepared for that.

Robin deserved more than that. He deserved someone that _was_ ready for that. He deserved someone that would put him above all else, and hypothetically speaking, she simply couldn't do that. She couldn't return those feelings as wholeheartedly as he could, and that wasn't fair to him.

It didn't matter that she was breathless. It didn't matter that there were butterflies in her stomach, nor did it matter that her heart hadn't stopped racing yet. It didn't matter that her cheeks were burning fiercely.

What mattered was the future.

The future. The _future_ was all that mattered.

 _No!_

Her heart was screaming at her, p _leading_ with her to be set free. To let these feelings that were welling up inside of her out and into the world, to not deny them any longer. Her heart was so tired of being the afterthought; always second fiddle to her sense of purpose. What it so desperately wanted was just a miniscule of a normal life. To finally experience all of these things that Grima had denied her. It wanted to know what the warm embrace of love felt like, and what it was like to return that feeling to another.

Lucina let out a frustrated groan. Every time she asked herself why she couldn't have that, the cruel reality of her situation always reminded her why.

There was a knock on the door, but she chose to ignore it. She really didn't feel like talking to someone else right now, so if she pretended to be asleep they should go away soon.

"Lucina?" Chrom shouted in a hushed whisper.

 _Father?!_

He had followed her?

Lucina swallowed and wetted her bone-dry mouth before speaking.

"Can we talk tomorrow? I'd like to retire early tonight, as I'm feeling rather drained."

"Lucina!" Chrom hissed, then seconds later cleared his throat. " _Lucina_. I'd appreciate it if we could talk. Now."

She didn't move from her spot on the floor. For what felt like the first time in her life, she'd actually _prefer_ to not see her father's face.

"Don't make me pull the father card."

Lucina shook her head. Despite everything, she felt herself smiling, albeit very slightly at her father's antics.

Picking herself up from the floor, she turned to open the door.

"Father," she nodded at him, her expression completely neutral.

"Lucina," Chrom nodded back, but he wasn't as proficient as she was at keeping a straight face. She noticed that he was slightly out of breath, as well as the light red tinge of his cheeks. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he ran here.

Chrom stepped into the room, rubbing the back of his head nervously as he entered. He looked about as out of place as a fish did out of water.

"Was there something you needed?"

Lucina winced immediately after speaking. Despite her secret hope in her father helping her understand her emotions, she instinctively wanted to keep him at arm's length. Her mind told her that it was better this way. Simpler. If she didn't talk about it, there were no problems.

Chrom sighed and turned to face her, his hands on his hips.

"Don't play dumb with me."

Lucina frowned and turned her head down.

"…I'm sorry. It was not my intention to eavesdrop."

Chrom took a deep breath and nodded to himself, his suspicions confirmed.

"So, you _did_ hear us."

"…Yes."

"Good Gods, this day keeps getting worse," Chrom mumbled to himself as he gave the heavens an angry look.

"Father, we do not need to speak of this," Lucina assured him before he could say anything else. "Quite frankly, it's probably better that we do not."

"Oh, no you don't," Chrom shook his head firmly. "You don't get off that easy. There are some things that need to be said, no matter how… strange it is for the both of us. Just going on like I didn't find you standing there doesn't sit right with me."

She had expected that. Her father was never one to let things simmer. When confronted with something, he always tackled it head on. That's just who he was. Lucina knew that no amount of sweet talking would get her out of this one.

"P-please continue, then."

"Ah, Lucina," Chrom pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, I'm your father. I'd like to think I know you pretty well."

"Of course."

"And as your father, I'd never want to impose my will on you. All I want is for you to be happy."

"I-I know."

"Good… good," Chrom nodded to himself and began pacing around once more. "That's good."

Lucina frowned. If she thought her father was being confusing before, he was at a whole other level now.

"Father, where exactly are you going with this?"

Chrom paused and ran his hands through his hair before turning to face her.

"What are you planning on doing with the information you learned today?"

Lucina stiffened, her heart skipping a beat. She had been expecting this, but the question still caught her off guard.

Her mind was still telling her that falling in love would only hinder her, while her heart kept trying to persuade to just dive right in. Now, Lucina had never been someone that could just indulge their desires like that, but she also didn't want to say no. She just didn't know what to do!

While the angel on her shoulder whispered sweet nothings, a devil on the other was telling her the cold, hard facts. The only problem was that she didn't know which was which.

Chrom watched her closely, waiting for a response that would never come. After a moment, the exalt nodded to himself, as if he had been expecting as such. The silence told him all he needed to know.

"Then may I say, I think you're making a mistake."

Lucina's head shot up. She looked at her father skeptically, not fully believing what she just heard.

"You…" Lucina swallowed, her tongue darting across her lips. "You think I should…?"

"As much as it pains me, yes, yes I do."

Lucina furrowed her brow, her jaw slowly falling. She wanted to say something, but no words came out. The sudden turn of events left her speechless.

"I don't understand…" was all she could mumble.

"I really don't either, to be honest," Chrom laughed, shaking his head lightly. "But, I saw you earlier today. Those weren't the actions of a grieving friend; no, it was something way more than that. I'm not as dense to these things as I once was, you know."

Lucina frowned, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.

It wasn't that easy. She didn't have the luxury to just do as she pleased. There was the future to think about.

Since day one, all of the children agreed that it was best not to meddle with the past when it came to their parents and the rest of the Shepherds. That meant not sharing who a Shepherd might marry, nor if they had any children. Any prior knowledge of their future could alter it. It was best to not take any risks and just let things play out when it came to personal lives.

If she and Robin were to… get together, that could change everything. Admittedly, she didn't know much about the future Robin, but if there was some woman he was supposed to marry, this would completely disrupt that. Any child that might have been born from that marriage would never exist.

This wasn't even taking into account the possibility that Robin was her father's killer. She had already decided that Robin couldn't be capable of such a thing, but she'd be foolish to completely write it off.

In her position, she couldn't afford to not think things through.

"Forgive me, Father, but as much as I'd like it to be, things can't be that simple."

"Why not?" Chrom asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Because of everything!" Lucina shouted frantically, stomping her foot in frustration. Did he not understand that? "Because of my future! Because of what I know! Father, for all we know Robin could very well be the man that betrays you!"

"Impossible," Chrom shot her down calmly. "Robin has been by my side since the beginning. There's no one that wants this victory more than he does. There's no possible outcome in which he'd do such a thing."

"Of course I believe that," Lucina agreed. "But, I _don't_ know that for sure, and I can't take that chance… For all of our sakes."

Chrom frowned and crossed his arms. He gave his daughter a disapproving look.

"If you truly believed that, then we wouldn't even be having this conversation in the first place. I think you're just looking for an excuse as to _why_ you shouldn't."

Lucina scowled and opened her mouth to rebut him, but she found that she didn't really have a rebuttal to give. Whatever came to mind just sounded like a weak excuse.

Just another excuse not to do something.

All this time, all of those long hours training and going without food or sleep… All the things she deprived herself of… She thought that if she skipped a few meals, went a few nights without sleep, distanced herself from her family, that she'd be more prepared to deal with Grima when the time came. Less distractions meant more time to prepare.

The people of her realm didn't get to sleep on a bed. They didn't get to eat filling meals. They didn't get to spend nights with their families. Every time she was able to enjoy one of those things, those thoughts plagued her mind, filling her with guilt.

Lucina's eyes narrowed slightly as a thought occurred to her.

In reality, was she just subconsciously depriving herself of these things because she felt guilty for enjoying them? Was she considering pushing Robin away because it would interfere with her purpose, or was it because the prospect of finding happiness when others could not that made her feel so guilty? So afraid?

She took a few steps back, her legs bumping into her bed frame and causing her to fall rear first onto the waiting mattress.

Chrom returned her glare for a moment before his eyes softened at the sight of her. Letting out an inaudible sigh, Chrom walked to where she was sitting and sat down on the bed beside her.

"Lucina, do you know what my father used to tell me?"

She didn't say anything, as the question surprised her. All she knew about the man was what she read in books, as her father never really talked about her grandfather that much. Whenever he did, Lucina always took an interest.

Chrom took her silence as a sign to continue.

"'There will always be a million reasons not to do something. Fear shouldn't be one of them,'" Chrom reminisced with a far off look in his eyes. "My father and I never saw eye to eye, but that always stuck with me. I think it's especially fitting now."

Lucina looked to her father with wide eyes.

"Even now, we don't know what the future holds," Chrom continued, propping himself up with his hands behind him as he stared up at the ceiling. "We shouldn't be afraid of that fact; we should be thankful for it."

She felt a small flame reignite in her chest, then slowly make its way to her limbs and the rest of her body as that comfortable heat spread. Love, hope, wonder… they all bundled together nicely right in the center of her heart.

"Do… do you really think so?"

"With all of my being. _Nothing_ is written in stone," he said and reached out to place his hand on his daughter's head. "Our future isn't just some writing on the wall that we're trying to erase. It's a lump of clay that we hope to mold."

Chrom tousled her hair, then turned her head ever so slightly so that she met his eyes.

"And I want you to mold it into something beautiful, princess. Understand?"

Lucina smiled from ear to ear, her vision blurring as tears began to well in her eyes.

"Oh, F-Father," Lucina leaned forwards and buried her head into her dad's shoulder, wrapping him up in a great, big hug.

Chrom laughed, smiling when he returned it.

"Experience these things while you have the chance, okay?" Chrom whispered to her. "Naga knows we don't always get that opportunity."

Lucina opened her eyes, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

After a moment, she nodded into his shoulder and hugged him a little harder.

* * *

 _ **Three days later…**_

Robin stared at the clothes laid out on his bed. He had been standing there for nearly fifteen minutes with a perplexed look on his face.

Today was the day that he was finally freed from the shackles of his bedrest, as well as the day that the army finally moved forward. They were three days ahead of schedule, which was excellent news. It'd be a completely acceptable trend if they kept this up, and Robin sure as hell wasn't going to be the one that held them back from doing so.

One would think he would be reluctant to return to work after what had happened to him, but that was far from the case. Robin was nearly beside himself with excitement at the prospect of being out in the field again. He could hardly wait to set foot on solid ground. Part of it was because he just wanted to be out and about again, but it was mostly because he just wanted to prove himself. To prove to himself and the others that he would never freeze up again.

But, there was the problem: what the hell should he wear?

Robin picked his old coat off the bed, letting out a heavy sigh as he did so.

"I'm sorry, old friend."

His trusty coat had been totally destroyed thanks to Farber and his damn fire magic. The entire right side of it had burned to ashes, leaving the tactician with only half of his lovely outfit left. It had left an incredibly sour taste in his mouth seeing his beloved article of clothing so badly damaged. He had come into this world but nothing with that coat, and damn it, he planned to leave it with that same coat! Why did fate have to be so cruel to try and take that away from him?

There had only been one thing left to be done, even though it pained him so.

They had to make some… alterations.

With the help of Oliva and Libra, they had turned his once destroyed coat into a more traditional cloak. They had removed the completely untouched sleeve on his left side, then with a little added fabric they had repaired the rest of the right side. No sleeves remained to put his arms through, but he could still wear it around his neck and have it drape over his shoulders.

It was… something. It still had the hood, but he rarely used it anyways.

At least that part of his outfit was easy to pick out. It was the other pieces of clothing that were giving him trouble.

"What else? Hm."

He used to wear a beige undershirt beneath his coat, but that shirt was a little too… loose, for his liking. It revealed too much. It was short-sleeved, and the collar hung too low. Now that half his body was scarred, he didn't want to go around brandishing it to the world. He wanted to keep them out of sight. Out of sight, out of mind.

His friends probably wouldn't care in the slightest, but it made him feel better. It made him feel… normal again.

Taking that into account, he grabbed the black, long sleeved shirt from the bunch and gingerly put it on. His wounds were still rather sore and his range of movement was seriously impaired, so even something as simple as putting a shirt on required a dash of grace.

"Let's hope that doesn't last long," Robin grouched as he rolled up his left sleeve to the shoulder.

He'd have to deal with dressing like Chrom with his renowned one-sleeve shirt for the time being, but it was a necessary evil. As Lissa and Maribelle told him, he had to be careful about overheating. His body wouldn't be as adept at regulating heat like it used to thanks to all that scarred skin.

" _Remember to moisturize the scars every day, and make sure to drink lots of water!"_

Yes, how could he ever forget?

The next part of his outfit was the pants…

…Which really didn't require a lot of decision making. Pants were pants. They covered the whole leg.

They were easier to put on, as it was only the thigh of his right leg that was burned. The rest was okay. It still left him with a bit of a limp, but it wasn't too bad.

Then came the boots. Those were pretty straight forward.

But, Robin hesitated at the gloves.

He looked down at the back of his right hand, frowning. The strange, sadly familiar marking still branded his skin, but only half of it was visible now. The rest was burned away. He didn't know if he liked or disliked that fact.

Robin grabbed the glove to his right hand, but opted to discard of the left glove. He didn't need any unnecessary clothing keeping him warm in his condition. Wearing only one glove felt kind of strange, but to be honest, he thought it looked pretty cool.

"When life gives you lemons," Robin shrugged and walked over to his sword leaning against the wall.

He strapped the sheathe to his waist. His right arm didn't have the strength to wield it properly yet, but it comforted him to have it with him.

And even if he could hold it properly, there was no saying that he could fight. His range of motion and reflexes in regards to the right side of his body were completely shot. So, if push came to shove, he could wield it in his other hand. He had no experience with swordplay using his off-hand, but he could learn. He _would_ learn.

Then his eyes landed on the tomes on the desk. There were a few yellow, two greens, and one red.

Robin pushed the fire magic aside and stuffed the thunder and wind magic into his cloak's pockets.

"I'd sooner die than use that magic ever again," he mumbled under his breath. Robin learned first-hand how inhumane fire magic was. He wouldn't be caught dead using it. "That is, if I can even _use_ magic like I used to…"

With his bum right arm, even magic would prove difficult to use. It'd be one thing if he could always carry the same tome and only need to use one kind of magic, but that wasn't the case. The tides of battle constantly changed, which meant Robin had to as well. Something he prided himself on as a mage was his ability to adapt, as well as his creativity when it came to his use of magic. With his dominant arm lagging behind, that'd prove to be more difficult. How could he hope to pull out a tome, open it, cast a spell, and then swap tomes if needed with one arm in usable condition?

"It's a good thing I'm the tactician, then," Robin smirked to himself. Tactician's always had a plan.

Content that he was ready for the day, Robin turned to leave, his cloak billowing behind him.

If today was a normal day, he'd probably seek out Lucina for a quick chat before they departed. But, he hadn't seen hide nor hair of her since the day of his injury, so he felt a tad strange in doing so.

At first, he just wrote her absence off as the princess being busy. Lucina was a rather busy person, so going a day without seeing her wasn't so uncommon.

After the second day, Robin began to suspect otherwise. That suspicion only doubled after he asked Chrom if something had been wrong. The exalt had simply looked away when he brought it up, awkwardly mumbling some excuse under his breath. That left him worrying.

So, instead, Robin had to find something else to do with his time. Something meaningful. After lying in bed for three days, he was itching for something to do.

That's why before things got hectic again, there was a certain red-headed mage he needed to see while he had the time.

Robin stopped at the door, his eyes falling on a vase that was placed on a stand in the corner of the room. It was filled with a dozen or so pristine lilies. Compared to the brownish color of the rest of his drab room, they stuck out like a sore thumb.

They were beautiful.

Grinning, Robin plucked two out and left the room.

Tactician's _always_ had a plan.

* * *

Lucina stood in the port's town square, her hand resting on the hilt of Falchion as she watched their soldiers work with the local citizens to clean up the mess the Valmese left them. Scraps of wood, destroyed barricades, discarded weapons, and left over supplies had all been moved away and dealt with. Bodies of the fallen were given proper burial.

It was a far cry from how the town looked when they had first arrived. It was amazing, really.

People were actually starting to leave their homes again. Vendors had reopened their stalls. The inn was even giving out free drinks to villagers and soldier alike.

It wasn't like any of their men could take them up on that offer, but it truly was the thought that counted. When the Ylissean League had first arrived, they were treated like outcasts, and respectably so. No invading force would be treated otherwise.

Over the course of the week, however, that had changed. Her father, with the help of Say'ri and the others, had done a very respectable job at proving they were no conquerors. That all they intended to do was stop one.

It was impressive, but it came as no surprise to her. Chrom always excelled at reaching people. Perhaps it was his trusting attitude, his way with words, or his genuinely kind nature, but people took a liking to him rather quick. Lucina believed those aspects of the man resonated with people. It certainly did with her.

And to think that her father always claimed to be inept at politics. Being a leader meant listening to and trying to appease your people, and Chrom had always excelled at that.

"Things are really coming together," Chrom noted proudly as he came up behind her. "I was worried we'd leave this town worse off than we left it, but it appears that won't be the case."

"Indeed. You've done the people here a great service."

"Me?" Chrom raised an eyebrow and smiled. "We all did."

"Of course," Lucina returned the smile with a polite one of her own, but she didn't really feel like she did anything all that important.

Chrom sighed, his grin being replaced with a sullen look.

"We won't be able to keep this up, I'm afraid. We can't stop and help every village, otherwise we'd never stop Walhart."

"Stopping the Conqueror will be more than enough, Father. We might not be able to give everyone a worthy present, but we can ensure all of them a bright future."

Chrom blinked and stared at Lucina wide-eyed. After a few seconds, he laughed aloud and patted her on the shoulder.

"Well said!" Chrom grinned and moved his hand to her shoulder. "I almost forget how mature you are sometimes."

"I only follow the example you and Mother gave me," she replied fondly.

Chrom looked down at her daughter with fatherly pride, his hand instinctively giving her shoulder a squeeze.

"Milord."

Lucina and Chrom both turned to face Frederick, who had just arrived with Robin, Lissa, Say'ri, and Sumia in tow.

Her heart had skipped a beat while simultaneously nose-diving right into the pit of her stomach when she caught sight of the snow-haired tactician. Lucina swallowed the nervous lump in her throat and hurriedly looked away him.

She suddenly felt very out of her element. It probably didn't help that she had been avoiding him like the plague recently.

Sumia immediately smiled when she met Lucina's eyes, but all Lucina could do was smile back weakly.

Lucina only hoped that no one noticed her anxiously gripping at the hem of her tunic.

"I hope we're not interrupting," Robin smiled apologetically. Lucina ducked her head when his eyes fell upon her.

"Of course not," Chrom waved him off then turned to his knight. "Thank you for fetching them."

Frederick beamed proudly and bowed his head, taking a step back as he did so.

"What'd ya need us all for, Chrom?" Lissa asked.

"We need to decide what to do next," Chrom answered. "We need a course of action. Walhart has undoubtedly heard of our presence by now, so our moves from here on out have to be clear and precise. We can't afford to fail now."

"Then what do you propose?" Sumia spoke next.

"To be honest, I don't know," he chuckled mirthlessly. "That's why I was hoping our newest member, Princess Say'ri, could provide some input."

"Anything to help our cause," Say'ri nodded and stepped forwards. "In fact, I do have an inkling of an idea."

"Please, we're all ears."

"Since ancient times, many of our people have worshiped Naga," Say'ri began. "More precisely, we worship the divine dragon's oracle, Lady Tiki. Though, most know her as The Voice. When the war first started, Walhart was quick to lay his claim on the oracle and took her as his prisoner. I was thinking that, if he were to free her, the Resistance could unite around her."

"Wait," Robin interrupted. "What was stopping you before?"

"Ah, my apologies. You were still recovering when I first informed your exalt of my predicament," Say'ri explained. "You see, my people, the Resistance, have yet to come together as one united force. The old weaknesses of man: greed, jealousy, and sloth, have torn us apart. The dynasts all would have freedom, but on their own terms. Some refuse to fight unless their territory is threatened, while-"

"While the others are plenty happy thriving under the Conqueror's boot," Robin sighed and rolled his eyes. "Gods, I hate politics."

"It seems we share that sentiment," Say'ri smirked.

"And so, you believe that freeing the Voice could be the rallying call for your resistance," Robin summed up, rubbing his chin as he hummed in thought. "All right, where is she being held?"

"There is a shrine built in the branches of the divine Mila Tree. She is confined there."

"Seems as good a plan as any," Chrom nodded.

"Indeed, but we'll have to make haste lest the brunt of Walhart's forces catch us," Say'ri warned.

"Oh?" Robin quirked an eyebrow. "And what is the 'brunt' of his forces?"

"A million troops, maybe more."

Robin's eyes widened momentarily, but much to his credit he kept his composure. When the others had first heard the news, there were plenty of heavy hearts and sullen looks.

"So be it," Robin murmured, his eyes already murky as they became lost in thought. Lucina knew that anything else that was said would probably go right over his head as he became more and more lost in his own thoughts. She had become rather accustomed with that quirk of his.

"Do you have any clue how well defended the Mila Tree will be?" Sumia asked.

"Indeed," Say'ri replied, her expression faltering. "The divine tree will be guarded by none other than Cervantes, one of Valm's most capable warriors. It is said he has yet to lose a battle."

"He has yet to face us," Chrom assured her. "We don't plan on falling so easily."

"Yes," Say'ri smiled, perking back up. "Against the Ylissean dogs of war, Walhart and his lackeys stand no chance!"

Lucina snuck a glance at Robin in time to see him frown.

"That settles it, then," Chrom said and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Frederick, rally the troops. I'll inform the khans of our plan, and we'll set out as soon as we are able."

The group collectively nodded, then set out to do what was needed before that time came. Chrom and Sumia took off towards where the khans were, Frederick took off towards the bulk of their troops, while Say'ri and Lissa followed after. The only two left were Lucina and Robin.

Lucina cursed her indecisiveness. She should have left with her father.

Robin was still standing in the same spot with the same expression on his face, completely unaware to the flustered girl beside him. No doubt the cogs of his mind were churning, totally oblivious to the outside world.

She did feel awkward around him, but she was still happy to see him out and about. The last time she had truly seen Robin so close like this was when he was still unconscious in his bed. That fact made her feel slightly guilty. It wasn't like she _meant_ to avoid him, but she couldn't help it.

"Robin," she called out to him, hoping to remedy that.

The tactician blinked a few times as he registered hearing his own name. He flashed Lucina a grin when he met her eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better, actually," he answered. "I'm still sore and a little stiff, but I'm sure that'll pass."

"I'm glad to hear it," Lucina smiled, her hand resting on Falchion's hilt. "If there's anything you need-"

"Actually, there is," Robin interrupted. "There's, uh, well… There's something I wish to speak with you about."

"Oh?" Lucina feigned surprise and raised an eyebrow. Her heartbeat skyrocketed. "What is it?"

Robin took a deep breath and forced it down. He had paled considerably, so much so that Lucina almost began to worry if she didn't have an inkling about what was about to happen.

"Close your eyes."

That she wasn't expecting.

Lucina's brow knitted together, her head tilting to the side questioningly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Just humor me."

She didn't look all that convinced, but she obeyed, albeit reluctantly.

With her eyes closed, Lucina stood stalk still as she waited for whatever the man had planned.

Nothing happened at first. All she could hear was the rustling and bustling of the city around them, but even that was overshadowed by her heart hammering in her ears.

After a moment, she heard the soft crunch of gravel as Robin moved closer.

And closer.

And closer.

Lucina bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from opening her eyes or jumping away. Her heart was beating so loud at this point that she worried Robin might even be able to hear it.

She flinched a second later when she felt the tentative touch of his gloved hand on her forehead. It slowly traced across her skin to her hair, where he carefully tucked a lock of it behind her ear along with something else Lucina didn't recognize.

"Alright," Robin said shakily. "You can open them."

Lucina opened her eyes to see the pure, white petals of a lily only inches from her face.

"This is for you."

Her eyes widened as they took in the beautiful white that had flooded her vision, her hand slowly reaching out to accept it.

Placing her nose in the center of the flower, Lucina breathed in the aroma that emanated from its petals.

With her spare hand, she reached up to her ear and felt the familiar silky texture of a lily's petals that was tucked away in her hair.

She felt herself blushing like a schoolgirl, but she did not care in the slightest.

"Do you like them?"

"Of course I do! They're so lovely," Lucina beamed as she took another whiff of the flower. "I had nearly forgotten the smell of flowers…"

She stopped herself from going any further down that road.

"Did you pick these for me?" Lucina kept her nose hidden in the flower as she looked at him.

"You could say that," Robin laughed awkwardly.

"Well, they're beautiful…" Lucina whispered and closed her eyes, basking in the warmth she felt in her chest. "May I ask what they're for? All things considered, I should be the one giving _you_ flowers."

"Oh, don't worry about that..."

"…"

Lucina snuck a glance at him. The tactician had suddenly turned very sheepish. He was avoiding looking at her, as he suddenly seemed to be very intrigued with the way the ground looked.

"Robin?" she spoke up, steeling herself for what she already knew what was coming.

"Lucina."

Robin lifted his head, his eyes burning fiercely.

"I'm in love with you."

Lucina's breath hitched, her knees nearly giving out on her. Even though she knew this was coming, the handful of words still hit her like a sack of bricks. All the feelings she had felt days before came rushing back like a flooded river, nearly drowning her.

"W-what?" was the only word she could get her mouth to form.

"I'm hopelessly, out of my mind in love with you! Ever since the beginning! I'd be lying if I said I tried for this not to happen, because to be quite honest, I didn't really try all that hard," Robin chuckled nervously. He was all but gushing now. "The minute- no, the _second_ that mask of yours came off and I saw the light from the moon reflect off your eyes, I knew that I loved you. Even after I learned of your true origins, I never once tried to stop it. Never once."

Lucina gaped at him, her hands instinctively moving to her chest.

"Oh, Robin…"

"I'm sorry it's taken me so long, but believe me when I say I wanted to tell you from the start. It's just… I could never find the words I wanted to say, nor the time to say them. I-I don't know, maybe I was just too afraid to look for them," he let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead. "But, that's changed. I'm saying it now… because I need you to hear them. I almost lost this chance once, and I refuse to have it be taken from me when we've come so far."

"Robin, I…"

Lucina trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. She had rehearsed this _exact_ moment at least a hundred or so times since she learned of Robin's love for her, but even now, right here in the face of it all, she truly didn't know what to say.

"Look, I know what's in store for us. I know it will never be easy," Robin continued undisturbed. "Death waits around every corner as Grima floats above it all like some sort of dark cloud, but that doesn't matter to me."

"It… it doesn't?"

"No," Robin said and took a step closer. "Because no matter what's happened, or has yet to come, my feelings will _never_ go away. I love you, Lucina. Nothing will ever change that."

Lucina dipped her head and closed her eyes as she couldn't bear to look at him any longer. Her hands clutched the lily tightly to her chest.

She had been waiting anxiously for this moment these past three days. The time had finally come. Lucina had finally found herself at the fork in the road between her purpose and her feelings.

But, somewhere along the lines, that forked road had merged into one.

Lucina thought back to the words her father had said, a smile slowly forming on her face. The weight that was once her shoulders had vanished, replaced by that familiar comfortable and warm feeling in the center of her chest.

 _A beautiful future…_

"Thank you for telling me this, Robin," Lucina said and raised her head. "Now, would you mind closing your eyes for me?"

Robin furrowed his brow in confusion, his face contorting into a wide array of emotions.

"I promise I won't do anything strange," she assured with a small smile.

"O-okay."

Robin straightened like a board and glued his eyes shut. If it were any other time, Lucina might find herself amused by his nervousness.

Stepping forward, Lucina reached out and delicately brushed his hair back. He nearly jumped out of his shoes at her touch. It took a lot of self-control to not burst out in giggles.

Taking the flower he had given to her only moments before, she placed it carefully behind his ear. It nearly blended in perfectly with his pure white hair.

Robin's lips turned upwards when she pulled away. It didn't take a tactician to figure what she had placed there.

"May I open my eyes now?"

"Not yet," Lucina chirped. "There's something I want to say, first."

Robin nodded and remained silent.

"Your words were… beautiful, and I will cherish them always," Lucina beamed. Part of her was happy Robin couldn't see how red she was right now. "However, I regret to say it was not the first time I heard them."

Robin's brow twitched, his mouth instantly drooping into a frown.

"You see, my father wasn't the only one to hear your words that night."

He fidgeted in place, his cheeks quickly reddening.

"You… you heard me?"

"Sorry," Lucina giggled. "I swear that I didn't intend to."

"Now I feel like an idiot," Robin mumbled sheepishly.

"Don't."

Robin raised an eyebrow, but kept his eyes closed.

"With a little push from Father, it was _because_ of your words that I was finally able to find my own."

"…What are you saying?"

She wasn't sure of herself, or what the future might bring, but she was sure of what she wanted.

Reaching out, Lucina latched onto Robin's hand with both of hers.

"That day I realized just how dear you are to me, and that night I discovered how I truly felt about you," she said softly. "I'm so glad you've finally told me all this, because you are in my heart as well, Robin."

"Truly?!" Robin's eyes snapped open, his grip tightening around her hands.

"Truly," Lucina smiled.

Robin laughed and pounced forwards, wrapping Lucina in a bear hug and lifting her off her feet.

"R-Robin!" she shrieked, her legs kicking at the air. "Y-you're going to hurt yourself!"

"I don't care!" Robin exclaimed through his grin as he placed her back down, keeping his arms wrapped around her shoulders. "After all these years, to finally hear you say the words I could only dream about… I just couldn't help myself."

Her heart was threatening to burst from her chest, and her cheeks were getting ready to melt, but she didn't care. Lucina closed her eyes and returned the hug, allowing herself to sink into his arms.

"I promise you, no matter what: I will always be here for you," Robin whispered. "Whatever road you choose to follow, whatever path you might take, I'll be right there with you. I'll follow you to the end, Lucina."

"Then we won't rest until we reach it. _Together._ "

Robin buried his face into her hair, his arms tightening around her.

Lucina cradled the back of his head, idly running her fingers through his hair.

 _It took time, but I now realize that I truly love you, Robin. I promise you, no matter what the future holds, I'm going to cherish every moment._

* * *

A pair of eyes shone in the darkness of the shadows. They had been there for hours, completely invisible to the world, waiting patiently for the scene to play out.

The glowing, red eyes narrowed as the two embraced each other.

"Fool…"

They continued to watch in silence for a moment longer before turning away. He had seen enough.

With a scarred hand, he reached up to pull a hood over his white hair.

Slinking deeper into the shadows, the red eyes vanished entirely.

* * *

 _ **And there you have it! We finally got our confession scene!**_

 _ **So, I had two trains of thought after finishing the last chapter. I could have Robin and Lucina continue to scamper around each other awkwardly until one of them confessed, or I could have just had one of them man up this chapter. I went with the latter, mostly because of personal preference. I'm not the biggest fan of how some fics have them skirt around the subject for what feels like a millennia.**_ _ **I like it more when the two figure out what it means to be in a relationship together, rather than apart. That's the point of a Robin x Lucina fic, right?**_

 ** _With the scene itself, I wanted to keep part of it true to the S Support in the game. Robin and Lucina's S rank conversation is one of my favorites in the series (obviously, otherwise what would I be doing here?), so I really wanted to keep the general gist of it. I did add some of my own spice to the recipe, though._**

 _ **And in case you didn't notice, I have some big plans for Grima in the future. I think he has some of the most potential out of any of the characters in the genre, so I really want to utilize him in this fic. Of course, that's a little ways down the road, but look forward to it!**_

 _ **Also, shout outs to our boy Chrom. In case you didn't notice, I LOVE writing him as the biggest bro there ever was.**_

 _ **Anyhow, thanks for reading! I'll see you all next time.**_

 _ **Oh! And just for clarification, don't think Robin is like a mangled looking dude now. When I picture him, I just imagine burn scars on a little less than half of his right side (like thigh to shoulder, mostly in the center). Nothing that can't be covered by clothing. All that stuff during his segment this chapter was just some things I learned from studying up on the matter.**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hey everyone! Welcome to the next chapter of From the Ground Up!**_

 _ **Sorry about the long wait with this one guys. I spent half of August job hunting, and the other half working, which left me little time to write. Thankfully I enjoy my new job, so it wasn't all bad.**_

 _ **And I'll be honest, my free time has been kinda consumed by Tales of Berseria. Finally got around to playing it, and I think I'm in love. I'm even brainstorming a few writing ideas for it when I'm done with this. I've never done a cross over, but I'm thinking about it.**_

 _ **Anyhow, I'm hoping my writing schedule gets a little more consistent now.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

Robin woke the next morning to the soft chirp of the birds and the warm rays of sunlight breaking in through his tent flap. A slight breeze had snuck its way into his tent, the cool morning air tickling at his exposed skin.

The tactician yawned and stretched his arms up above his head. He slept surprisingly well given the fact he could hardly get his mind to stop racing last night.

He grinned to himself, his heart fluttering as he thought back to the events from the day before.

Never had he felt so much happiness, excitement, and relief ever before in his life. That burden that had been weighing him down all this time had completely vanished, leaving him on cloud nine. His confession, Lucina's acceptance, their hug; it left him feeling like he was cuddling a litter of puppies. It's like his heart stopped pumping out blood and decided to pump out honey instead.

The slight headache nagging at him was a bit of a damper, but compared to the ones from before, it might as well have been a slight tickle.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Robin stepped out of bed and grabbed the messy pile of discarded clothes and bandages that had been thrown beside it. Yawning once more for good measure, he began to slowly unravel the layers of white bandage that covered his arm. His wounds still hurt and were a wee bit stiff, but it wasn't anything that would ruin his mood. Very little could bring him down from the clouds now.

Moving to the rest of his body, Robin quickly undid his dressings and replaced them just as fast. With that unenjoyable part out of the way quickly, he put on his tunic and trousers.

"I need coffee," Robin mumbled as he draped his cloak around his shoulders, then slipped his bad arm in the sling Lissa had given him.

His stomach growled softly, reminding him that he needed some breakfast, too. Maybe some breakfast with Lucina?

Robin was essentially giggling at the prospect of it as he left his tent.

The light from the rising sun assaulted his eyes when he stepped out into the world, but he didn't care. In fact, he was relieved. After being on that stupid boat for a month, being able to enjoy the sunrise on solid ground was heavenly.

Seeing the rows upon rows of tents that littered the countryside was rather spectacular as well. It left him with a nostalgic feeling. It felt just like the old days of camping out with the Shepherds, although their army was a _little_ more substantial this time.

The number of tents he saw surprised him a little in fact. That million or so Valmese soldiers that Say'ri had mentioned suddenly felt a little less frightening.

Robin let out a sigh and spread his good arm to better take in the sunlight. Gods, did it feel good. He idly wondered if this is how flowers felt when they stretched out their petals to better catch the sun's light.

At that moment, Stahl walked by, giving the tactician a curious look.

"Morning, Stahl!" Robin greeted the cavalier cheerfully, arm still hanging in the air. "Beautiful morning, isn't it?"

"Good morning, Robin," Stahl smiled awkwardly and glanced around. "What are you doing?"

"Just basking in the warmth of a new day, of course. You?"

"…Going to get breakfast?" Stahl replied slowly and pointed to the Shepherd's mess tent.

"Excellent idea, Stahl. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all," Robin grinned and lowered his arm, bounding towards him. "I think I'll join you."

"Alright," Stahl chuckled and shook his head, following Robin as he walked past. "Man, what's got you in such a good mood? I always thought you hated mornings."

"Are you kidding me?" Robin scoffed, pretending to look appalled. "Maybe that was true at one time, but not anymore. I _love_ mornings, Stahl. Love 'em. The beautiful sunrise, the lazy quietness as everyone wakes up, the tantalizing aroma of freshly brewed coffee: what's not to love?"

"Well, when you put it _that_ way," he laughed and patted Robin on the back.

The two continued to walk together towards the mess while exchanging idle chitchat. The Ylissean League was beginning to wake now, as the two ran into more and more of their allies as they walked on. The soldiers exited their tents with a yawn, waving a lazy greeting at the two as they passed. Robin waved back, of course, and even exchanged a few words before they continued forwards.

Robin had hoped he might run into Lucina on his way, but no luck. She must have still been asleep, or already enjoying breakfast with her parents.

"Looking for someone?" Stahl asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No one in particular," Robin answered automatically with a shrug. It took all of his willpower to not scream it from the mountain tops, but it was probably better he kept his relationship with the exalt's time traveling daughter under wraps for now. Even with Chrom's blessing, it would feel strange broadcasting it.

Despite Robin's constant stopping to greet his fellows, the two eventually made it to the mess. Just in time, too. He could start to hear the threatening growls coming from his friend's gut, and he knew how Stahl could get when he was hungry.

Lifting the tent flap, Robin stepped inside and glanced around. The place was pretty barren, but that was to be expected this early in the morning. Most Shepherds were probably still peacefully asleep, or just now waking up. They had done a lot of marching yesterday, so he couldn't really blame them. If Robin wasn't in such a good mood, he'd probably still be slumbering soundly as well.

The only people there were Olivia and Lon'qu, both of whom were on cooking duty. Stahl had immediately made his way up to Lon'qu's station, probably to pick at the food that was already cooked.

The swordsman looked up from the potato he was peeling, giving Robin a single nod and a grunt before going back to his work.

Olivia raised her head, blinking in surprise at the sight of their tactician.

"G-Good morning, Robin," Olivia greeted him with a shy smile as he got close. "I'm surprised to see y-you here so early."

"I'm nothing if not surprising," Robin smirked and snatched a stray piece of apple, plopping it into his mouth.

"Well, breakfast should be done shortly," Olivia giggled softly and went back to cooking her eggs. "Feel free to get some coffee."

Robin nodded, but still lingered. There was something on his mind that he had been meaning to say for a while now, but with everything that happened, he just hadn't found the time. That's why it was a nice coincidence that Olivia happened to be one of the cooks today.

He chewed slowly as he mulled over what to say exactly.

"Hey, Olivia."

"Hm?" the dancer peeked up at him through the cover of her bangs.

"Thank you," Robin said sincerely. "You know, for all that you've done for me."

Olivia and Gaius had been the ones that found him and brought him back, and Olivia and Libra had been the ones that repaired his coat. Other than the healers, Olivia had probably been the one that had worked the hardest, and all for his benefit. It wouldn't even be much of a stretch to say that he was still alive thanks to her efforts.

Olivia stared blankly at him for a second before she began to blush like mad.

"I-It's n-n-no pr-problem…" she mumbled quietly and lowered her head even further, hiding her entire face behind her hair.

"I'm looking forward to breakfast," Robin smiled and snatched another apple piece, then turned to walk away. He always found that shy side of hers adorable, though he'd never dare to tell her that. She'd probably implode- no, she'd definitely implode if he said that.

He would take her up on that offer of coffee, though.

Grabbing a mug and pouring himself some, Robin took a tentative sip as he stood looking around for a place to sit. More people had arrived while he had been saying hello to Olivia, but it wasn't like the place was packed or anything. He still had free reign of where to sit.

Still no Lucina, though.

Glancing around, Robin walked towards the table closest to the entrance. He wasn't all that hungry, so he was happy to sit and wait.

Taking another sip of his coffee, Robin leaned back in his chair. The warmth of the drink spread out to his limbs, leaving him feeling perfectly content.

More and more Shepherds began to filter in one after the other. Nowi and Donnel, Virion and Cherche, Frederick and Cordelia, followed by Tharja and Henry.

Robin greeted each couple with as much cheer as he greeted the others, although it was a little strained when it came to Tharja. That predatory gleam in her eyes whenever she looked at him still slightly creeped him out, but he was learning to accept it. It was a lot less intense now that she had a husband, which made it a bit easier.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Robin spotted a familiar blue.

Lucina stepped into the tent, a small smile gracing her lips as she looked around.

Her eyes eventually fell on him, her smile widening.

Robin waved and motioned for her to come closer.

Lucina nodded and stepped away from the entrance, inadvertently revealing who was directly behind her. Robin's hand hung limply in the air at the sight of the next couple that entered.

Chrom entered first, somehow his glare already pointed directed to where Robin was sitting. He pointed at his eyes with his index and middle finger, then pointed back at him before making his way to the food. Sumia entered next, a big, dumb smile plastered on her face as she watched her daughter stride over to where Robin was sitting.

Robin gulped, suddenly realizing he wasn't sure who he was more afraid of.

"Hello, Robin," Lucina greeted, her smile faltering when she caught sight of his face. "Is something the matter?"

"N-nope, nothing is the matter. Nothing at all," Robin shook the thought of getting castrated from his head and went back to beaming like the sun. "It's good to see you."

"Likewise," she replied as she sat down across from him.

"Sleep well?"

"I did. And you?"

"Best sleep I've had in a month."

Robin reached out and took hold of her hand. It felt so small in comparison to his; delicate, even. He didn't expect the hands that gripped Falchion so tightly could ever feel so small in his own.

Lucina squeezed back, her thumb slowly tracing circles on the back of his hand.

The two sat in silence, simply grinning like idiots and staring into each other's eyes. Robin had dreamt of this moment for what felt like his entire life. To finally be able to live it out felt… surreal. Almost like he was still dreaming. He had to resist the urge to pinch himself just to make sure.

Gods, how he wished this war was over. He would much rather spend the rest of the day sitting like this than preparing for the battles they would soon face.

"Should we get something to eat?" Lucina asked, breaking Robin's reverie.

"No need," he replied, reluctantly breaking his grip from her and leaning back in his seat. "It looks like our breakfast was already gotten for us."

Sumia sat down beside her daughter, placing a plate of eggs, bacon, and assorted fruits down in front of her.

"Oh!" Lucina blinked at the sudden appearance of food, then gave her mother a nod. "Thank you, Mother."

"No problem, sweetie," Sumia winked and handed her some silverware.

Chrom sat down beside Robin in silence, dropping a plate with a single, very small and very sad looking egg on it down in front of him. It was almost comical how small the egg was compared to the rest of the empty plate.

Robin looked at his breakfast, then glanced at Chrom, who only handed him a single spoon in reply as he dug into his rather full plate of food. Much more food than one person could eat.

"Thanks," Robin mumbled and accepted the offered spoon.

"My pleasure," Chrom grumbled, but Robin detected the hint of a smile in his tone.

Sumia reached across the table and flicked Chrom in the forehead.

"H-hey!"

She then grabbed two of the four pieces of toast on Chrom's plate and placed it on Robin's.

"That's my food!"

"Don't mind my husband," Sumia told Robin sweetly. "He's actually _very_ happy for you two. He just doesn't know how to express it now."

Chrom said something under his breath and turned his head away. If this were any other situation, Robin would probably crack a joke and laugh at his friend's awkwardness, but he was feeling it just as much.

Robin blushed and glanced at Lucina, who had lowered her head so low that her face might as well have been in her food.

"Um… thank you."

Sumia smiled brighter than the sun and went back to picking at her food, humming a merry little tune as she did so.

 _Here it comes…_ he thought to himself. He knew _that_ look.

"So," the queen continued, simultaneously taking a bite of her food while crushing Robin's dreams. "How far did you two go the other night?"

Robin choked on his toast.

"Mother!"

"What?" Sumia shrugged as if she did nothing wrong. "After that lovey-dovey scene you two put on, could you really blame a mother for asking?"

Lucina turned her head back down, steam coming from her red ears.

Robin looked to Chrom, as he was sure that he would back him up on this one. No father would like to hear about this, right?

His hopeful look turned into a deadpanned one when he saw that Lucina's father looked morbidly curious as well, despite his best attempts to hide it. That death grip on his fork was rather frightening, though.

Robin scrambled for an answer as Sumia continued to look at him expectantly, and it didn't look like she would be letting up any time soon. It had only been one day, damn it! Robin was hoping to hold off on the awkward conversations with the parents for another month at the very least.

"Well?"

"Er…"

Robin shot up from his seat, pointing to the other side of the tent.

"Holy crap, look over there! Frederick and Lon'qu are kissing!"

All heads in the tent turned to Robin.

"WHAT?!"

Sumia whipped her head around to where Robin was pointing, and even Chrom spared a look.

"Dine and dash!" Robin shoveled his food into his mouth and downed his coffee, then made a run for it. "Let's go, Lucina! We're making a break for it!"

Lucina watched Robin run off with wide eyes, her mouth rapidly opening and closing as she tried to process what had just happened. She looked at both her mother and father, then to where Robin had run off to, then back to her parents. Giving each of them an apologetic nod, she then stood and walked after Robin, her head lowered as to avoid the stares of the rest of the Shepherds.

Sumia slowly sat back down, a defeated look on her face.

"I can't believe you fell for that one," Chrom laughed as he ate a strip of bacon.

* * *

Robin huffed and puffed outside the mess tent, a hand gently cradling his stomach. He belched, suddenly regretting eating so much and running so hard. It had only been a short distance, but damn it, he ran really hard in those few seconds. The combination of the egg, toast, and coffee felt like hot led sitting in his gut.

Pain flared in his side, causing him to wince. He grasped at his ribs, anxiety starting to bubble in his chest.

 _Can I really not even run a short distance without-_

"Well, that was not how I pictured this morning going."

Lucina appeared beside him, her cheeks slightly red from the event prior.

"My bad," Robin grinned. "I guess that _was_ a tad childish."

"It's quite all right," Lucina giggled with a hand over her mouth. "Even I don't mind childish acts now and then."

Robin laughed, feeling relieved that she wasn't upset with him.

"It did the trick, though. Now we're all alone."

"Was that your plan all along?" she smirked, her blush returning. "There are easier ways to accomplish that, you know."

"True, but they weren't as fun."

Lucina's shoulders shook with quiet laughter.

"I admit, it was entertaining seeing Mother react so."

"Exactly," Robin nodded and outstretched his hand. "Now, let's go."

Lucina cocked an eyebrow, but took his hand anyway.

"Where are we going?"

"You see, that's where my plan ends," Robin admitted as they started to walk. "I was hoping you could pick up the slack."

"Hmmm," Lucina hummed in thought, her head tilted to the side. "Well, I _do_ need to pack up my tent before we march again, but that wouldn't-"

"Let's do it! We can do mine while we're at it."

Lucina nodded once before she blinked a few times, a thought seeming to occur to her. She suddenly didn't seem so thrilled with the idea.

"On second thought, why don't we do something else?"

"Huh? Why?" Robin turned to her, a devilish smile slowly growing as a thought of his own occurred. "Oh? Is there something you don't want me to see? Are you perhaps one of those 'messy' people?"

He neglected to mention that he was also one of those people. His tent was the equivalent of a mine field of discarded items. One might make the argument that it was simply easier to be a messy person when you were constantly marching, but Robin had always been a rather unorganized person. His office back at the castle might as well been a forest of papers.

"No," Lucina frowned slightly, her brow furrowing.

Oh, gods. What if she was a closet hoarder? What if he went in there and there were just piles of stuff littered to the-

Okay, maybe he was getting a little ahead of himself here.

"Oh well," she finally shrugged after a few seconds of silence. "I suppose it's nothing to hide."

The two came to a stop in front of Lucina's tent, which had only been a stone's throw away from the mess. He suddenly wished it was a bit more of a walk.

Robin gulped. He felt very hesitant about going now. It almost felt like he'd be intruding; like he was seeing something he shouldn't be yet.

Lucina ended up making the decision for him, as she was the first to enter the tent and left the flap up for him to follow.

Taking a deep breath, he entered-

-To find nothing.

Robin's eyes widened as he looked around.

There really was nothing. He squinted his eyes and looked closer as if that would somehow reveal something that wasn't there.

Nope, still nothing. The only thing in her tent was a simple bedroll on the ground and a bag that probably had a change of clothes. The inside was more grass than anything.

Robin snuck a glance at Lucina. She was avoiding looking at him, purposefully or not, but he could see the far-off look in her eyes as she stared at all of the belonging she owned in this world: a bedroll and a change of clothes. Compared to the sword strapped to her waist, those probably wouldn't even be considered as belongings to her. Just necessities to survive. Everything else must have been left behind when she abandoned her doomed future, seeing as how anything that she took with her would only remind her of something she no longer had. It'd be like Robin taking souvenirs from every battle he won: it'd be an eyesore.

Robin frowned. It didn't take a tactician to connect the dots. Having belongings would only make it more difficult to pack up and leave when the time came...

He didn't like that thought.

"First chance we get, we're going shopping."

Lucina looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"We're going to get you so much crap that you won't even know what to do with it all," he continued undisturbed. "So much stuff that... that it'd be impossible to pack it all up in one day."

He knew he was acting childish again, but he didn't care. He was probably getting ahead of himself and jumping to conclusions, but he just couldn't accept the possibility that one day Lucina might just up and leave. It was so terrifying for him because it was definitely something she _might_ do.

"Robin…" Lucina's stunned expression slowly formed into a wide smile. "Yes, I'd like that."

For some reason, her smile didn't comfort him in the slightest. He just chalked it up to his imagination getting the better of him again, but something about the way her eyes looked just didn't sit right with him.

Before he could ponder it anymore, Lucina broke their gaze as she walked towards her bedroll and rolled it up, continuing to talk as she did so.

"Truth be told, there was a dress back home that caught my eye."

"Oh?"

"Indeed," she nodded, raising back to her full height with her bedroll in hand. "It was this adorable little white thing with my aunt's face on it."

"Eh?" Robin tried not to snort as he imagined such an outfit. "Like just one, big Emmeryn in the center?"

"No, and that's what made it so great! The dress was covered with dozens of cute, little portraits of her. Isn't that neat?"

It sounded atrocious.

"It's definitely… something."

"Hmhm," Lucina nodded happily. "I've never seen anything quite like it."

Robin scratched his head. Yes, he could believe that part. Never in all of the world would there be a dress quite like that one.

"First thing we'll do when we return home is find that dress and snatch it right up. We wouldn't want someone to get to it before we do, right?"

Even so, he couldn't imagine a world where that dress was sold off before they could get to it.

 _Unless Freddie got to it first…_

Lucina looked back to him with a gentle look on her face. That previous look in her eyes had disappeared, leaving Robin wondering if he ever really saw it to begin with.

"I'll look forward to it."

"As you should," Robin nodded and stepped towards her, his eyes moving around the tent. "But for now, we really should spruce this place up a bit."

"It's quite alright, Robin. It's not like we have the time at the moment to make such detours."

"Yeah, I know…" he admitted. They really didn't as long as they were in enemy territory, but still. Looking at this shell of a tent she came back to every night bummed him out. No one should have to come back to such a lonely place while they're surrounded by loved ones.

Lucina examined the interior once more and glanced at Robin.

"What do you suggest?"

Robin grinned, happy that she'd at least humor him.

"Well, you could just stay with me for the time being," he shrugged. "I've got enough junk for the two of us."

Lucina blinked a few times as she registered his words. As the realization of what he had suggested slowly dawned on her, her cheeks began to redden.

"By stay with you, you mean in _your_ tent?"

"Is that really so strange? I mean, we are together now. It's not like mine couldn't fit a second bed. I don't have _that_ much clutter."

"O-oh, yes! Of course! Of course that's what you implied. Yes, I-I'm sure it could fit a second bed," Lucina stammered, her voice dropping to a whisper as she turned away. "I'm certain it could fit _two_ beds. Not just one, singular bed."

"What else could I have meant?" Robin grinned. "Were you picturing something different, by any chance? My, my, Lucina."

Lucina's flustered look quickly turned into a pointed glare.

"You sure are easy to tease," Robin laughed.

"You must be eager to visit Aunt Lissa again," Lucina glowered and took a step closer.

"Whoa, easy now!" Robin lifted his hands defensively, his laughter dying down to a chuckle. "I was being serious, you know. My tent really is bigger than I need. One of the perks of being Grandmaster, I guess."

Lucina pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinized him to make sure he wasn't teasing her again.

"…You wouldn't mind?" she asked, her expression softening.

"Are you kidding? I'd be ecstatic."

Lucina hummed and placed her chin in her hand.

"I'll be honest, I was growing a _bit_ tired of sleeping here…"

"Perfect! It's-"

"Lucina, are you in there?"

Chrom's sudden voice cut Robin off.

 _Talk about bad timing._

Nothing ruins the mood like a father swooping into the picture, reminding everyone of his everlasting presence.

Robin looked at Lucina and mouthed 'hide me,' causing the princess to roll her eyes.

"Yes, Father. Come in."

Chrom lifted the tent's flap and stepped on through, his eyes immediately landing on Robin.

"Hello," he waved.

Chrom nodded back, surprisingly not looking upset or annoyed by his presence in his daughter's tent. He was expecting at least a single remark, but the exalt actually looked relieved to see them both together.

"Good, you're both here."

Robin was immediately on guard.

"Is something the matter?" Lucina asked, her brow knitting together. He wasn't the only one.

"Our scouts reported sightings of a horde of Risen not too far from a local settlement. The Shepherds are going to travel ahead and take care of them before they become a threat."

Lucina's expression darkened, her hand instinctively moving to the hilt of her sword at the mention of the Risen.

"Risen?" Robin frowned. "Here? Is there really no end to their reach?"

To think they were also here… What other countries were plagued by the living dead? Was the entire world afflicted?

"I'm afraid not, which is why time is of the essence; we need to dispatch of them before they can bring harm to anyone. Leave your tents here, the others will pack up our things and meet back up with us later in the day. Only take the essentials."

The two nodded.

"Robin, I'll need you with me. Pack what you need and meet me at my tent. We have much to discuss."

"Understood. I'll be right behind you"

Chrom gave the two a look and Lucina a squeeze on the shoulder before making his quick leave. The two stood in silence after he had left, both letting what he had just said sink in.

Robin sighed, his left hand instinctively moving to massage his temples. His headache was starting to worsen.

"Of all the times," Robin hissed under his breath. He was already operating lower than his usual capacity. Having to deal with a migraine at the same time would make him near useless in a fight.

Ah, damn Risen always gave him a headache.

He quickly became aware Lucina's scrutinizing gaze on him. It made him feel self-conscious, insecure, even.

"We'll talk later," Robin flashed her a smile and left the tent, not bothering to stay around to say more.

Lucina nodded absently, her eyes trailing after him as he walked away.

* * *

Severa grumbled and kicked a stray rock that had the poor fortune of being nearby.

"Ooooow! Ow, ow, ow! Stupid rock! Stupid, no good, piece of-"

The redhead let out a string of curses as she gripped her aching foot, then gave the rock another kick for good measure before falling on her rear out of exasperation.

"I can't _believe_ we lost her!"

Owain placed his hands on his hips, puffing his chest out as he gasped greedily for air.

"She's… a spry one… I'll give her that!"

"How does one girl move so quickly? It's like she was on horseback!"

"There's only one explanation," Owain exhaled slowly, his hand clutching his chest. "She must be using some type of secret, magical art to-"

Severa threw a pebble at the blonde, hitting him square in the forehead.

"O-Ow!"

"Hush, you! Enough with your 'forbidden techniques!'" Severa huffed and turned her head away. She was silent a moment before continuing quietly to herself. "…Where do we go from here?"

Owain grunted as he sat down beside her.

"The Mila Tree, right? That's where our mysterious rival said she was going."

Severa turned back to her friend, giving him a very stern glare.

"And do you know where this 'Mila Tree' is?"

"Uh…" Owain scratched his head. "No?"

"Exactly! Now, if only someone had the common sense to grab a map before we left, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"Do not fret, my dear Severa! Even the greatest of heroes is prone to forget things now and again."

"I'm talking about you, nimwit!"

"Me?" Owain blinked in surprise. "But, you were the one that dragged me along?"

"I-I don't recall that."

Severa crossed her arms and turned away again, but even then Owain could see the hints of a blush on her cheeks.

"If we just backtrack a little bit, we can return to that one village we passed by. I'm sure we could find someone there that could point us in the right direction, Severa."

"Yeah, I guess," Severa mumbled, her shoulders slumping a little. "I'm just so damn tired of walking! Gods, what I wouldn't give for a long, hot bath right about now."

She snuck a glance at Owain when he began to snicker. She immediately rolled her eyes and questioned why she bothered when she saw him striking his classic pose.

"My fated companion, it is struggles like these that let us grow stronger! While we scour the country side in search of our mark, my legs continue to gain strength. That pain in my calves is only proof that my power grows! Soon, I shall have the strength and endurance of a-"

"Alright, I get it, I get it," Severa sighed and placed her chin in her hands, her eyes wandering out over the plains. "Yeah, I guess you're right; it could be worse. We could be fighting hordes of Risen or something."

"Precisely! While my sword does indeed thirst for a good bout, I much prefer to keep my blade sheathed and continue to walk than to cut down even a mere hundred ghastly foes."

"Hordes of Risen…"

"Indeed! Hordes of-" Owain stopped midsentence, tilting his head to the side when he realized she had repeated herself. "Er, Severa? Are you still listening?"

"Hordes of Risen!"

"Severa?" Owain turned to his friend. "Why do you keep-"

Owain followed her eyes, his words dying on his lips when he saw a large group of Risen only a few hundred yards away from them.

"There has to be a hundred of them!" Owain gasped. He looked down at his right arm, gripping it by the wrist. "No wonder my sword hand was trembling so."

"And they're heading this way," Severa said and bit her lip. "…Towards where the village is."

Owain rose to his feet, drawing his blade and gripping it with both hands.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Owain laughed in his usual bravado, but Severa could see the twinge of fear in his features. "I'll fell these ghouls while you warn the townspeople and get some help. We can't let these beasts do as they please."

"Are you actually an idiot?" Severa growled and rose to her feet, drawing her own sword. "That's suicide. No, we'll do this together."

Owain peeked at her, but he didn't turn his head away from the slow-moving Risen.

"Are you sure?"

"Like you even need to ask," Severa scoffed and dusted the dirt off her trousers.

* * *

 _ **And that's that!**_

 _ **A little on the short side this time, but I wanted a nice little chapter to transition from the Robin and Lucina chapters back to the war with Valm.**_

 _ **It seems that our brave Shepherds are on a course to meet up with our next group of time travelling children! But, where does Morgan fit into all of this? Well, I guess we'll have to wait and see.**_

 _ **Also, a little insight on my thought process on healing magic:**_

 _ **I'll be honest, when it comes to healing magic I'm still learning how to really write it and not have it be stupid. In the game it's literally the end all, be all. You're on the brink of death? No worries, Momma's got you. Oh, what's that? You're actually dead? Well, there's a staff for that! As you can see, it gets a little confusing on how to accurately depict healing.**_

 _ **It's such a silly plot device that I dislike in many stories, because it's almost always used as a Deus ex Machina. Main character gets skewered trying to protect his loved one? Haha, healing magic. His tragic sacrifice to jump in front of the blade to protect his lover suddenly lost all of its impact. That dramatic, tension filled scene where you think the protagonist might actually die suddenly got turned into some slight drama. I hate that!**_

 _ **That's why here I'm trying to tone it down a little here, make it so healing magic has its limitations.**_

 _ **I actually have serious plans in the works for Robin's injuries and how they impact his character, so look forward to it!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading everyone!**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Hey everyone!**_

 ** _Life kind of got in the way of my writing for this chapter, so sorry it took so long guys! Enjoy!_**

* * *

"Take a breather and grab some water, everyone!" Chrom called out. "We move out again in three minutes!"

Now that the Shepherds had finally stopped to rest, Robin retreated behind one of the horses to catch his breath. He rested his arms atop the saddle, his entire weight leaning against the grey mare. He gasped for air, trying his best to ignore the beads of sweat that were racing down his face.

The tactician cursed under his breath, kicking weakly at the ground. There would barely be any time to catch his breath before they were on the move again.

Only three hours of marching at a quick pace, and he was already this tuckered out? With the way things were going, he didn't even know if he'd have the energy to take on the Risen once they finally reached their destination. He used to be able to march twenty-four hours straight before collapsing. It hadn't even been a _full_ three hours yet!

Pushing himself from the horse, he turned and rested his back against its side. He moved to grab the canteen in the saddle's pack, only to remember that his right arm was in a sling.

"Gods!"

He ripped the sling off and threw it to the ground, then took out his canteen and gulped down a few mouthfuls of water.

Robin let his head fall against the saddle and stretched out his right arm, sighing in relief. It had been in that damnable sling all day.

 _Farber, when I get my hands on you, I swear to Naga…_

That man would regret putting him in this state. Robin went from being in near perfect shape (albeit, thanks to Frederick's training regime) to this sorry mess that he currently found himself in. The next time those two met in battle, things would go very different. Robin would make sure of it, if only to mend his fractured pride.

To think, someone with his experience would freeze up like such a-

Robin's eyes widened when he heard someone approach. Pushing himself from the horse, he ran his sleeve over his face to dry himself up.

"Ah, there you are."

Chrom walked around the front of the horse, his eyes giving Robin a once over before he continued.

"How're you holding up?"

"I'm fine. Just a little tired, is all," Robin shrugged, lying casually. "How's everyone else?"

"I think they're a little fed up with having to walk so much again, but they'll accustom to it soon, I'm sure.

"Good, good," Robin nodded, straightening his back. "How far are we from our destination?"

"Well, if we're reading the map correctly, no more than an hour or two," Chrom replied. "Hopefully we won't be too late."

"I'm sure we won't be. We've made good time so far."

"Indeed," Chrom said absently, his eyes narrowing slightly when he noticed this discarded sling. "Why don't you ride one of the horses for the rest of the trek? I wouldn't want you collapsing before-"

"Chrom, Chrom," Robin laughed and held up a hand to stop him. "I'm fine, really. Like you said, there's not much left to go. I'll be fine."

He neglected to mention the fact that he had already tried that, but the constant bobbing up and down thanks to the horse's trot caused his wounds to throb and made him feel too dizzy for his liking. He'd rather be dead on his feet than have to constantly keep himself upright on the back of a horse.

"…Fair enough, but if you start feeling-"

"Like I'm gonna pass out, I'll make sure to clamor up on a horse, yeah, yeah. I will, don't worry."

Robin took another, much more reserved sip of water and looked at his friend expectantly.

"Well? The three minutes are up, are they not?"

"Right," the lord nodded and turned his head, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Shepherds! Break's over! Let's move!"

Chrom turned back to him and motioned towards the front of the pack.

"Shall we?"

"Of course," Robin forced a smile out.

Not that Robin really wanted to. If he had his way, he'd hole up in his tent working on strategies while he recovered, or hunker down in one of their wagons if they had brought any. Chrom and Frederick reasoned that bringing along a wagon or two would just slow them down, which Robin did agree with… but he'd be lying if he didn't regret it a little. Walking Gods knew how many miles while carrying their equipment was the biggest pain in the ass, injured or not. Thank the gods they had their horses at least.

As the two made their way to the front of the group, the line of Shepherds began to move forward. The two leaders of the army greeted each face they passed, occasionally coupling it with a pat on the back and a few encouraging words.

To Chrom, this was just second nature. The exalt treated this group like his family, and Robin was no different in that regard; but, while he was still healing and feeling somewhat frail, it was beginning to feel more like a formality to him. Morale was vital in an invasion like this, so it was important that his troops knew that he was fine and ready to go.

At least, that's what the tactician in him reasoned. In reality, he simply felt insecure with his current self.

Now that the afterglow of his relationship with Lucina had been set aside, Robin was beginning to feel incredibly vulnerable. That vigor and gusto he had started the day with had slowly molded into insecurity and resentment with his situation.

It was hard not to feel that way with everything that had happened so far with this campaign.

Their second victory against Valm, while demoralizing to him, was a huge confidence booster to the rest of the army. Gaining a victory of that magnitude in an area they were unfamiliar with? That probably created enough momentum to carry them through the rest of this war. The Valmese navy was praised as one of the strongest in the world, and a ragtag army that had been constructed in a month's time had downed it as if it were nothing. That was game-changing in of itself.

Their third battle, and their first on enemy soil, was just more of the same. They pushed a formidable Valmese force out of an occupied town and liberated it. With that victory alone, they gained the trust of the Valmese people and the trust of their resistance. Usually one expects opposition when a country invades another, but so far the Ylissean League had experienced nothing but smooth sailing.

When historians looked back to this war, Robin was certain they'd cite these two victories as major turning points in the war against Walhart. But, to Robin, they couldn't be counted as anything other than two, fat losses.

Maybe that's why he was so eager to prove himself? He just wanted a win that didn't feel like a loss when all was said and done. He just wanted to prove to _himself_ that he could do this successfully without sullying the ideals he held so highly, or nearly dying in the process.

Robin's bitter thoughts were interrupted by the cheery voice of Ylisse's queen.

"There you two are," Sumia greeted the two men as they approached. "We were wondering where you went off to."

"Just checking on the troops," Chrom grinned as he fell into step with his wife.

Lucina greeted her father as well, her lips tugging upwards when she met Robin's eyes.

Robin grinned back. Just like that, the dark thoughts that clouded his thoughts suddenly disappeared.

 _Maybe I'm being a little too pessimistic._ Robin thought to himself as he beelined right towards Lucina, matching her pace. _Every cloud has its silver lining, right?_

There were still so many things that nagged at Robin's subconscious, including the princess herself, but all those troubles seemed so small with her at his side.

Lucina glanced at Robin's right arm, raising an eyebrow.

"What happened to your sling?"

"Oh, that?" Robin smirked, lifting his hand and wiggling his fingers. "It must have fallen off during the march. Tch, what a shame."

"Hmhm, I'm sure it was," Lucina gave him a disapproving look.

"What? It couldn't _hurt_ to stretch out my bad arm, right? If I don't rehabilitate it, it'll never get better."

Lucina's disapproving look dissipated.

"Well, I suppose…"

"Exactly!" Robin continued, pointing a finger in the air. "The first step to recovery is rehabilitation! …Probably."

"I'm pretty sure the first step is rest," Chrom said, giving Robin a very pointed look.

"Ah, hogwash," Robin waved him off. "I got enough of _that_ on that damned boat. In fact, once we take care of this little Risen situation, I want to get right back to sparring. Get back in form, maybe get a little sword practice in with my off-hand."

"I'd be happy to assist you," Lucina jumped in, her eyes practically shining at the prospect of it. "I-If you don't mind, that is."

"Really? That'd be great!" Robin nodded enthusiastically. "It'd be nice to get some experience in with a faster, lither opponent. While your father is an excellent training partner, he can be… well, let's just say he's more of a 'slow and steady wins the race' kind of guy. This would be a great change of pace."

"Oi! Maybe I wouldn't be so 'slow and steady' if you fought fair and square," Chrom shot a glare at the tactician, then addressed his daughter. "Listen Lucina, you don't want to spar with this guy. He only wins because he's a cheat."

" _Excuse_ me? I fight to win, Chrom. I'll throw as many kicks, sucker punches, and handfuls of dirt as I have to in order to secure a victory. In fact, you should be thanking me for giving you an authentic fighting experience."

"Here we go again," Chrom sighed and shook his head. "'An authentic fighting experience.' You say that damn line every single time we have this argument."

"Because I'll continue to do it _every single time,_ whether you complain or not."

"Do you have no honor, man?"

"Honor? That's funny coming from the _loser._ "

"You have some nerve to shove that in my face. I'll have you know that we're split fifty-fifty!"

"Ha! You actually keep track? Seems like something the loser would do, no?"

"Oh? And who's the real loser here? The man that duels with honor and dignity, or the idiot that shouts 'It's time to tip the scales!' whenever he throws a handful of sand at someone's face?"

Robin and Chrom continued to bicker, eventually getting in each other's faces. Robin secretly loved it, as it felt like the two truly were brothers whenever they did. He knew that underneath all of that wounded pride, Chrom did too.

Lucina frowned at the two, her brow knitting in worry. She turned to her mother, tugging slightly at her arm.

"Should we stop them?" She asked quietly, not taking her eyes from the two.

"Hm?" Sumia hummed and glanced at her husband and friend. "Oh, them? It's fine, they do this all the time."

"All the time?" Lucina repeated skeptically. "But, it looks like they're about to throw punches!"

"Yeah, they do that sometimes," Sumia laughed. "I'm actually surprised you haven't witnessed this yet."

"Should I have?"

"Considering how it's nearly a weekly occurrence? Probably."

Lucina mouthed "weekly" and turned to look back at the two. Chrom was still pointing out all the flaws in Robin's logic, while the tactician simply smirked and nodded each time her father said anything, only proving to infuriate him more.

"This happens weekly?" she whispered to herself.

"Boys!" Sumia rose her voice, cutting off whatever rebuttal Chrom was preparing. "Aren't you two supposed to be _leading_ this army? Or do you plan to annoy the Risen to death?"

Sumia looked aggravated by their antics, but Robin could still see the hints of amusement in her eyes.

"You're right, you're right," Robin held his hands up in surrender. "We'll call this a draw for now."

He reached out to Chrom for a handshake. The exalt frowned and gave his hand a scrutinizing look before shaking it hesitantly. Robin had half a mind to retract his hand at the last second and run it through his hair while saying 'Oh, too slow!' but he didn't want to incur the wrath of Sumia. He knew just how scary she could get when she was serious.

"Anyways," Chrom cleared his throat into his hand. "I suppose we should do something a little more constructive with our time."

"You don't say," Sumia mumbled under her breath.

"Well, I guess we _do_ still need to come up with a course of action," Robin pointed out, then shrugged. "But, I suppose we can just do what we always do when we encounter the Risen."

"What do you always do?" Lucina asked.

"Hit 'em hard and fast with magic and arrows. Risen are a bloodthirsty bunch, but they don't have much going on in the intelligence department. They usually fall to a ranged assault."

"Makes sense," Lucina nodded. "That was our preferred method as well."

"We might not have to wait long to break it out," Chrom said, nodding towards the horizon. "Looks like Cordelia and Cherche are on their way back."

Robin squinted his eyes, and sure enough, he could see two specs in the distance coming towards them.

Fast.

"When did we send them out?" Robin asked.

"Only thirty minutes ago," Chrom murmured.

Usually when they sent out scouting parties, they wouldn't return for at least two or three hours before switching out with someone in waiting. With a party of this size, it was easy to get surprised by ambushes- hence the importance of sending someone out to scout ahead. If Cordelia and Cherche were already returning, they must have spotted something.

It was either Risen, or an incoming Valmese force. Robin prayed it was the former.

"Let's meet them half way," Chrom said, and Robin agreed.

The four jogged ahead of the group to intercept their incoming allies. Cordelia and Cherche circled once over ahead before the two began their descent.

The first to land was Cordelia. Her pegasus landed on all fours with grace, flapping its wings and letting out a whinny before folding them in and hugging it close to its body.

Cherche came next, her wyvern landing with a loud thud. The claws of the mighty beast tore at the dirt. The wyern let out a roar, but was quickly calmed down by Cherche's hand on its maw.

"Chrom!"

Cordelia hopped off her mount and rushed towards the group.

"Cordelia, what is it?"

"Risen!" she shouted as she caught her breath. "At least a hundred of them!"

"And they looked to be chasing a man and woman," Cherche added as she came up behind her.

Robin's eyes widened. They were chasing someone?

"Then we must hurry to their aid," Lucina said. "We can't allow these monsters to take more innocent lives."

"Indeed," Chrom nodded and turned to the two fliers. "Where are they?"

"Not far from here," Cherche replied. "If they stay on the course they're on, they should be heading right towards us."

"We'll intercept them," Robin cut in. "Our fliers can ferry three of us back to where they last spotted the Risen. From there, they'll rescue our two stragglers and get them out of harm's way and engage the enemy as per usual."

"That works for me, but what about the three being left behind?" Chrom asked.

"They will run interference so the runners can be rescued without worry. It'll be a difficult task given the sheer amount of Risen, but as long as the rest of the Shepherds can follow-up in a timely manner, there shouldn't be a problem."

"Then Father, Lon'qu, and I should go," Lucina concluded. "We're the best swordsman in the army. We'd be perfectly suited for the task."

The group nodded in agreement, but Robin shook his head.

"That won't work. Seeing as how you all wield swords, you'd be overrun way too quickly. You need someone with range who could pick them off from a distance and stem the tide."

Lucina bit her lip, but didn't object.

"Who do you suggest, Robin?" Chrom asked.

"The three of us, of course."

"What?!" Lucina blurted. "But-"

"But, what?" he cut her off and shrugged. "I'm the most versatile mage in the army, as well as a decent enough swordsman. Not to mention the fact that I'm probably the most accustomed to fighting with the two of you."

"That's true, but…"

 _But, that was before, this is now._

Is probably what Lucina wanted to say, but she stopped herself before she could. Robin would have been rather annoyed at the insinuation, but she wasn't exactly wrong. The only one that really knew how capable he was now was himself, and he didn't even really know for sure.

Which is exactly why he _needed_ to do this. He had to test his limits so he could truly understand them. They probably wouldn't understand if he voiced that, so he decided to keep that part to himself.

"Great! Then we have no problems," Robin grinned. "Chrom, you ride with Sumia, and Lucina you accompany Cherche. Cordelia, I'll be going with you."

All three women nodded and headed towards their respective mounts.

"Good luck out there, you two. Stay safe," Chrom said, giving each a reassuring smile before he followed after his wife.

He turned to give his own farewell to Lucina, only to find that she was still watching him with a worried expression. She still didn't seem entirely convinced in his plan.

"Hey, it'll be fine, all right?" Robin assured her. "It's just some Risen. It's nothing we haven't dealt with before."

"I-I know," she admitted quietly, her eyes instinctively moving to his injured side.

"Hey," Robin interrupted her and tousled her hair. " _I'll_ be fine. Besides, you two have my back, and that hasn't failed me yet."

Lucina closed her eyes with a sigh, but eventually relented with a nod.

"If you're sure. Just be careful?"

"I will be," Robin said and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

With that, the tactician jogged after Chrom and towards Cordelia and her mount. Lucina watched him leave with a stunned look on her face, her fingers lightly brushing against her cheek.

* * *

"You… just… had to be… the hero! You just… had to act… all cool, didn't… you!"

Severa panted as she ran, using every spare breath she had to insult Owain.

"It wasn't like… we could just let them do… as they pleased!" he shot back. Owain then paused and glanced over at Severa. "Did… you really think… I was cool?"

"You better hope those Risen get you before I do!"

Severa quickened her pace toward him, causing Owain to yelp and quicken his own.

The Risen were gaining on them. A few of the faster ones were even beginning to get close. They had never experienced Risen as quick as these before. It's as if they were long-distance runners!

"To think… they'd even be able to… keep up with me!"

Owain drew his blade, slashing haphazardly at one that had gotten close. The Risen let out a cry before it exploded in to a cloud of purple dust.

"You know what, screw this!"

Severa skidded to a stop and drew her blade, then turned to the oncoming horde.

"I'll make these bastards pay for making me run!"

"Are you an idiot?!"

Owain doubled back and grabbed Severa's arm, dragging her along with him. Severa stumbled along at first, but eventually she regained her balance and kept up with Owain's pace.

"There's way too many to try and fight and fight!"

"Oh, gee! Where was that pearl of wisdom an hour ago?!"

The two continued to run, but they both were getting tired. They had been at it for the better part of an hour, and unlike them, the Risen didn't grow tired. They'd chase them to the ends of the earth if need be. A rather sobering thought, but it was the truth. As long as they ran, the Risen would chase them.

Both grew silent as they realized this, the only sound between the two the haggard gasps of each as they struggled to breathe. Their lungs were burning, and their legs felt like jelly. Neither one could keep this up much longer. The hill in the distance loomed over the two as they grew closer and closer; a daunting hurdle that neither knew if they could overcome.

"Wah?!"

Severa's foot landed on the edge of a pothole, causing her ankle to bend awkwardly. She lost her balance, falling face first into the dirt.

"Ow, ow, ow!" she cried, gingerly grasping her ankle in her hands.

"Severa!" Owain shouted and fell to his knees beside her. "What's wrong?! Are you okay?! Can you still run?!"

"I-I don't think so," she winced. "I twisted it pretty badly."

Owain gritted his teeth his eyes darting back and forth across her body.

The Risen were getting close. They were close enough that they could hear their ragged groans and growls as they ran.

Severa bit her lip and looked past Owain towards the mob that threatened to swallow them whole if they didn't do something. If she tried to get up and run, she'd only slow Owain down, and if he didn't get moving quickly, they were both as good as dead. She was the one that made the mistake. She should be the only one that had to pay for that.

"Owain, you need to get out of here."

"…"

The swordsman was silent, his head not moving an inch. The only sign that he had even heard her were his fingers digging into the dirt as he clenched his fists.

"Owain, please- WHA?!"

Severa yelped as Owain snaked each of his arms under Severa's back and lifted her clear off the ground. Without a single word, his legs began to move. His feet beat against the ground as he gained momentum.

"No hero worth his salt would leave a friend behind!" Owain grinned triumphantly, but the strain in his features was almost palpable.

"Y-You idiot!" Severa shrieked and hid her face in his clothes. "You're just going to get yourself killed, too. You should have just left me behind!"

"Hey!"

Severa looked up at him, surprised by the sudden firmness in his voice.

"Don't underestimate Owain Dark! I can do this much!"

Catching his second wind, Owain's legs began to move faster; his strides grew longer. Little by little, the distance between them and the Risen grew larger. Sweat poured down his face as he ran, but that tiredness she saw moments ago and all but vanished.

He was actually outrunning them with Severa in his arms.

She watched him with wide eyes, her cheeks slowly turning pink. She'd never tell him this to his face, but right now, in this moment, he looked incredibly-

 _Fwoosh!_

There was a great gust of wind as three shadows flew over their heads, nearly blowing the two of them over.

"What was that?!" Owain gasped, not daring to stop running or turn back to look.

Severa lifted her head and looked over Owain's shoulder as he ran. Her eyes widened even more at the sight of the two pegasi and single wyvern that were angling towards the Risen. Once they had gotten close enough, three figures fell from the back of each mount.

"It's…" she mumbled, her voice trailing off. Her voice disappeared at the sight of the familiar red hair. A waterfall of beautiful crimson hair she never thought she'd see again.

 _No, it couldn't be… Could it?_

Owain stopped dead in his tracks, breaking her from her reverie.

"Owain?"

He fell to his knees, his chest rising and falling rapidly with each breath he took.

"Owain?!" she asked again, worry seeping into her tone.

The boy didn't say anything in reply. His eyes were the size of saucers, unmoving as they stared straight ahead. She couldn't tell if it was just the sweat, but she could swear she saw a single tear form in the corner of his eye.

Following his line of vision, Severa turned her head.

There, standing at the top of the hill, was a line of soldiers. Calvary, swordsman, mages, healers, archers: all stood together in a unified line.

And all at once, they began to move.

* * *

"Here they come!" Chrom yelled, readying his blade.

A dozen or so Risen broke away from the pack, barreling right towards them.

Robin closed his eyes and placed his good hand on the open page of the book. He could feel the dormant power that coursed through the tome, just waiting to be unleashed.

His fingers traced across the first stanza of the incantation as he mumbled it under his breath. He could feel the electricity tickle at his fingertips, growing in intensity with each word he spoke. The hair on the back of his neck began to stand up on end.

Opening his eyes, Robin removed his hand from the tome, seemingly pulling the electricity from its page.

"Thoron!"

There was a thunderous crack and a flash of brilliant white light. The spell tore across the field, leaving a trail of dirt and dead grass in its wake.

The magic crashed into the group of Risen, obliterating them. They exploded in to a purple cloud of dust, leaving not a single trace of them behind.

Robin's victorious grin faltered when another two dozen seemingly materialized out of the dust of their fallen brethren.

"Away with you!" Robin growled and flung out his arm. " _Thoron!_ "

Another stream of lightning erupted from his hand, destroying another ten that were unlucky enough to be in its path.

His efforts were valiant, but they weren't enough. Two Thoron's weren't enough to dissuade the coming Risen.

"Prepare yourselves!"

Lucina charged past Robin, her Falchion trailing behind her. Five Risen immediately spotted her and changed their course to match hers.

The princess tensed her body and jumped high into the air, straight over the group of Risen. The minute her feet touched the ground, she spun clear around and lashed out with her blade. Her sword connected, cleaving clean through three midsections. The halved Risen fell to their knees, turning to dust before their upper halves could even hit the ground.

The two that remained both swung downwards at Lucina, both failing to land. She simply ducked into a roll, squeaking right between them.

Lucina came to her feet, thrusting backwards with Falchion without even bothering to turn. The legendary weapon pierced through one of the Risen's abdomen.

Wrenching her blade from its body, she twirled it over her head before bringing it down and cutting clean through the final foe.

Robin watched in awe at the whirlwind that was Lucina. The way she dispatched of the Risen was incredible. Each movement was clean and precise. None of it was wasted. She kept her breathing calm and composed, while her balance was perfect. The only trace of emotion on her face was the pure enmity that shone in her eyes.

It was almost as if she had done this hundreds of times before.

 _Because she has._

Robin shook the thought from his head as he put away his tome and drew his sword. He wouldn't be much of a tactician if he just stood there and didn't help.

No sooner had he done so than a trio of Risen charged him.

He grabbed the hilt of his sword with both hands, wincing slightly at the twinge of pain in his right shoulder.

There was no time to worry about that, however. They were already upon him.

The first Risen to approach him went with a straightforward tactic: the tackle.

Robin sidestepped the undead as it fell to the ground with the grace of a potato. Without taking his eyes away from the other two, he plunged his sword into the back of its neck.

The other two Risen were a tad smarter. They decided to actually _use_ the weapons they held so loosely.

The first attack was a downwards strike aimed at his head.

Robin grabbed its arm with his left to stop it from moving, then stabbed the Risen with his right. The fiend evaporated in to a cloud of dust, it's sword falling to the ground.

"Ngh!"

Pain shot through his entire right side.

"Damn it," Robin cursed and switched his blade to his left hand.

He had hoped to at least be able to fight the Risen with his bad side, but even something as simple as that wasn't possible in his current state.

The final Risen raced towards him, its silver axe dragging along the ground.

Robin growled and swung as it approached, his blade biting deep into its midsection-

-But, not enough to cut clean through as he expected.

The Risen ignored its wound and let out a vicious roar as it lifted its axe.

He desperately tried to pull his sword from its body, but the damned thing wouldn't budge. It must have gotten lodged into one of its bones.

"RARGH!"

The Risen roared once more, its axe plummeting towards his head.

"Tch!"

Robin let go of his sword and jumped back, narrowly dodging the blow. The axe cleaved through the air, lodging itself into the dirt on its way down.

Opting to abandon its weapon, the Risen charged forwards, barring its teeth as it snarled.

The tactician frowned, realizing he was now sword-less and didn't have the speed nor time to take out a tome.

 _Well, here goes nothing._

Clenching his left hand into a fist, he swung at the undead's jaw.

His punch connected, knocking its jaw clean off. The Risen lost its balance and fell to the ground.

"Ow, Gods!" Robin let out a string of curses as he gripped his throbbing left hand. It felt like he had just punched a rock. People actually fight this way? What barbarians!

Walking over to the downed Risen, Robin grabbed his sword and yanked it from its body.

Then immediately plunged it back down into its head. It let out a gurgled cry before evaporating.

"Gods, I hate Risen," Robin grumbled and moved to place his sword back in its sheathe. He was going to have to stick with magic for the time being.

He froze mid-sheathe, tilting his head to the side when he thought he heard the sounds of galloping drawing close.

A second later, Frederick's horse raced by.

Followed by Stahl and Sully.

Then Panne leapt past him.

And finally, Cordelia, Sumia, and Cherche flew by.

"Perfect timing," he sighed, sheathing his weapon.

Reaching into his cloak, he pulled out an Arcthunder.

"Shepherds!" he shouted as he opened his tome. "Route the enemy! Don't let a single one of these demons walk the earth a second longer!"

The rest of the Shepherds ran past him, letting out a chorus of cheers as they charged the Risen.

* * *

Robin lowered his hand, his final spell destroying the last of the Risen.

"I think that's all of them," Chrom said, sheathing Falchion.

"Oh, thank the Gods!"

Robin collapsed on his rear, his left hand being the only thing to keep him from falling down completely.

Chrom looked down on him, his brow knitting in worry.

"Are you alright, Robin?"

"Yeah… yeah," he waved him off, completely out of breath. "I'm fine… I just… need a minute."

"If you're sure," Chrom nodded, giving him a bump on the noggin. "Just take a breather, then. I'm going to go check in on the others."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

Chrom smirked, giving him one last nod before walking off.

Robin watched as he made his way toward where Lucina was standing with the man and woman they had saved earlier. Thankfully, the two looked relatively unhurt despite the terrible situation they had found themselves in. The Risen had been many, but once the Shepherds engaged them in full, they fell with relative ease. It only took them half an hour to down the whole lot.

An excruciating half an hour for the tactician.

Once Chrom was far enough away, Robin collapsed onto the grass, his hand clutching at his side.

"Ahhh… ahhh…"

Gods, did it burn. It felt just like it did the day after the injury, but a little less painful and a little more stiff. Perhaps he overdid it?

If this was overdoing it, then what the hell was underdoing it?

As gingerly as possible, he reached into his cloak and pulled out his last vulnerary. Pushing the cork off with his thumb, he downed its contents in one single gulp.

The pain disappeared nearly instantaneously.

Robin sighed in relief, his body basically sinking into the dirt as it untensed. He was so exhausted at this point that he wouldn't even care if he fell asleep on the cold, hard ground. That's how Chrom found him the first time. It only seemed right to pay homage to that.

As much as he tried to reason himself into doing it, he knew that falling asleep right now probably wouldn't be a good idea.

Forcing his drooping eyelids open, he sat forward. He rotated his shoulder a few times, testing for any pain, but it seemed that his last vulnerary really did the trick. Good thing he saved it for just this occasion.

"Always three steps ahead," Robin grumbled as he came to his feet.

Dusting the dirt and stray blades of grass from his trousers, he glanced around at the rest of the group. Most of them were just searching the surrounding area and perimeter for any stragglers, while a few were getting some minor wounds treated by one of their healers.

Robin rolled his eyes when he saw that Vaike was getting a flesh wound treated. Again.

He made a mental note to force Vaike to start wearing a chest piece.

His gaze then returned to where Chrom and the others were. He and Lucina were currently talking to the two they had saved.

"Hm?" Robin hummed, raising an eyebrow.

Chrom was nodding along to what was being said, but Robin noted how dangerously wide the exalt's eyes were. Robin could see them even at this distance. They were like two little full-moons in his head.

Lucina, however, was in the complete opposite spectrum. She had inserted herself between the strangers, an arm around each shoulder and a gigantic smile plastered on her face. The boy was laughing and smiling along with her, not put off in the slightest. The girl, on the other hand, was pouting with a blush on her cheeks. Although, she didn't look like she exactly hated getting hugged either.

Robin grinned as he watched the tearful reunion. It didn't take a genius to deduce what _that_ meant.

He briefly toyed with the idea of going over and introducing himself, but in the end he decided against it. He probably didn't mean anything to these kids given the stories Lucina told him of his future self. If she barely knew him, how could they? They should be given the time to reunite with Lucina. The time to finally meet Chrom, her legendary father. Most importantly, they should be able to see their parents again.

They had gone through a lot to get here. Meeting the tactician of the Shepherds could wait. He'd just be in the way over there.

But, he still couldn't help but wonder: whose kids were they?

"The boy is definitely Lissa's," he mumbled to himself. With that full head of blonde hair and the outfit he was wearing? No question. "The girl on the other hand…"

That one was harder to tell. She looked pretty nondescript other than her beautiful looks. Given the women of the Shepherds, that didn't really narrow it down.

Well, he'd find out soon enough.

 _Really makes one think, though._

Was there a chance that he had a time-traveling child, too? Was there a little tactician out there somewhere, scouring the lands for their father?

Robin smiled slightly and turned away.

Knowing Lucina, she probably never would have accepted his confession if he did. It was surprise enough that she said yes in the first place. Him having a kid in the future definitely would have been a deal breaker.

No, probably no child for him. Given his future, he doubted that was possible.

Maybe one day, though.

"Frederick!" Robin called out to the knight as he walked by.

"Ah, Robin," Frederick turned to greet him, his hands clasped behind his back. "How may I be of assistance?"

"What's the situation?"

"The Risen have been eliminated. No fatal wounds on our end, though we didn't escape totally untouched either."

"How bad?"

"Nothing serious," Frederick replied. "Just a few flesh wounds. Nothing a staff and a night of rest can't cure."

 _Damn it, Vaike._

He was definitely wearing a shirt from now on.

"Good, good," Robin nodded. "We'll make camp here, then. Send a runner to the khans and the rest of the army to let them know. We'll continue towards the Mila Tree tomorrow."

"Already done. They should catch up to us in a few hours."

"Perfect," Robin grinned and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Great job, Freddy. Keep up the good work."

He could see Frederick's brow twitch at being called his least favorite nickname, but the knight nodded nonetheless.

"I'm going to make my rounds and check on the troops," Robin said and waved farewell. "Let me know if anything requires my attention."

"Of course."

Leaving Frederick to his duties, Robin began to make his way towards where Maribelle, Lissa, and Libra were treating the handful of wounded. Once he checked in with them, he'd check in with the rest of the Shepherds, have a debriefing with Chrom and the others, then go about preparing for their next battle.

They had already accomplished so much today, but there was still much to be done.

"The only easy day is yesterday," Robin sighed to himself.

* * *

"It's so wonderful to see you two," Lucina beamed at her friends.

After several minutes of hugs, smiles, and tearful exchanges, Lucina had finally been able to detach herself from Owain and Severa. However, it did take some gentle prodding from the latter.

It was just so wonderful to see them again. Lucina was never one for overtly showing her affection like that, but she just couldn't help herself. It had been over a year and a half since she last saw the friends she traveled back in time with. Seeing two of them stand before her, alive and well, made her heart sing with joy.

"Aye! It makes my heart soar to see that you are well, dear cousin!" Owain grinned, adding a fist-pump for added effect.

"Yeah, yeah, it's good to see you, too," Severa rolled her eyes. "But, could you stop saying that already? It's getting embarrassing!"

"Of course. My apologies," Lucina replied and took another step back, but her face was still brighter than the sun.

"We'll make sure to get that ankle of yours looked at, Severa," Chrom said, then turned to his nephew. "Are you hurt anywhere, Owain?"

"Ha!" Owain laughed, puffing his chest out. "You're speaking to the one and only Owain Dark! A measly bunch of Risen would never harm a legendary swordsman like myself."

"Right…" Chrom gave a strained smile and shot his daughter a confused look.

When she didn't look fazed in the slightest by her cousin's unusual theatrics, the lord shrugged and decided to let it pass. He'd let Lissa and Lon'qu have fun with that.

"Well, I'll give you three some time alone to catch up," Chrom whispered to his daughter, then gave Owain and Severa a smile. "It was great to meet you two, but for now I must excuse myself to check in with Robin and the others. I hope you don't mind if we continue this conversation later?"

"Of course not, Uncle!" Owain exclaimed, pounding his chest with his fist. "The upkeep of the army should come first. I can regale you with more of my heroic tales later."

"What he said," Severa sighed.

"I look forward to it," the exalt chuckled. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Chrom gave his daughter's hair a good ruffle before walking off towards where Robin and Frederick were.

The three watched as he left, none of them saying anything at first.

"So, that's your dad, huh?" Severa was the first to break the comfortable silence.

"Hmhm," Lucina replied absently with a far-off look in her eyes.

"Hmph. I guess he's kind of cool," she grumbled, crossing her arms and looking away. "But, that's beside the point. What happened to that 'no mingling with the parents' plan?"

"Sorry," Lucina turned to her, smiling apologetically. "It wasn't my intention to end up here with Father and his troop, but... Well, let's just say there were a few complications."

"Don't fret, cousin. I'm sure you had your reasons."

While that was true, Lucina didn't regret what she did for a second. Joining her father and the rest of the Shepherds had probably been the best thing that had ever happened to her; or at least, the best thing that she could remember. If she had to go back and do it all again, she'd do the same thing without a moment's hesitation. In fact, she might have even joined up sooner. There wasn't anything wrong with her original plan of working from behind the scenes, but she wouldn't deny how much more she could accomplish with everyone else by her side.

The only thing she did regret, however, was having to tell the others of her decision. Gerome would be especially difficult.

"I appreciate that, Owain. I certainly did," Lucina thanked him, then paused. "Though, I must admit, I am curious as to what you two have been up to since we last saw each other."

"Well, after a month or two after we traveled back in time, I ran into Owain here," Severa explained, jerking a thumb at him. "What fun that was."

"H-hey!"

"Then after that, we kind of just bumbled around looking for you," Severa finished with a shrug.

"Then how did you two wind up in Valm, being chased by Risen?" Lucina asked.

"Well…" Severa trailed off, her eyes pointing to the ground. "When we couldn't find you, we thought we'd cut our losses and join up with our parents. We heard about the war with Valm and hitched a ride on a boat over, knowing they wouldn't be far behind."

"Oh," the princess blinked.

That made sense. Though, it did make her feel slightly guilty that she had been able to spend the last few months with the Shepherds while her two friends were out there all alone.

"When we realized we got here early, we decided to hunker down in a nearby inn."

"Indeed," Owain cut in. "Ah, what a fine little inn it was. It was the perfect place for two mysterious outlanders like us to stay and ready ourselves while we waited for our fellow warriors of light."

"I see," Lucina hummed, her lips tugging upwards. "Well, I'm glad you two made your way here. We were able to reunite because of it."

Then another thought occurred to her.

"Wait," she paused, placing a finger to her chin. "That still doesn't explain why you two were being chased by the Risen."

Owain and Severa shared a look, as if both were looking for permission to continue.

Lucina raised an eyebrow at this. It was rare for the both of them to think before speaking. Both were very vocal people, albeit in completely different ways. As different as they were in personalities, both had a tendency to say what was on their minds.

It must have been something pretty serious if neither replied immediately.

"What is it?" she repeated herself.

The two nodded at each other.

"We were tailing a mysterious figure," Owain began.

"A mysterious figure?"

"While we were staying at that inn, this young girl came busting in, clamoring about how she was looking for her father," Severa clarified, her eyes narrowing. "We didn't think anything of it at first, but…"

"But, what?" Lucina shrugged. She was still unsure of the importance of this story…

"She said her father was the Shepherds' tactician: Robin."

Lucina paled as if she had seen a ghost.

"Then we noticed the similarities in their appearance," Owain continued, rubbing his chin as he spoke. "They had near identical hair styles, and she was even wearing his legendary tactician's coat!"

Her heart plunged into her stomach.

 _No, no, no!_

She had been _certain_ Robin didn't father any children. Father had always told her how he never married, and how "his only true spouse was his strategy books." If she knew that he had children in his future… She never would have...

Lucina sprung forwards, grabbing Owain by the shoulders.

"Are you certain of this?!" She hissed, keeping her voice as quiet as she could as to not alert anyone. "Are you one hundred percent certain?"

"Uh, yeah?" Owain blinked, startled by her sudden outburst.

"We both heard her say it, Lucina."

"No, no…" Lucina mumbled, her arms dropping back to her sides.

They _had_ to be wrong. They had to! If they weren't wrong, then the alternative was that Lucina and her presence might have irreparably altered the flow of time; in a way unintended. If her budding relationship with the tactician somehow prevented his future child from being born…

She would never be able to forgive herself.

"Although, there was something off about it," Severa chimed in.

Her head shot up.

"What? What was off about it?"

"Could you please, like, chill?" Severa huffed before continuing. "It just didn't make any sense to me, is all."

"Severa, _please_ elaborate."

"Jeez, what's got you all hot and bothered all of a sudden?"

"Severa!"

"Alright, alright! Gods, what is with you?" Severa grumbled. " _Anyways_ , her story just didn't add up. She was searching for her dad? Well, that's a load of bull if I've ever heard one. We all know that bookworm of a tactician didn't have any children."

"Aye, I considered that," Owain spoke up. "But, it isn't much of a stretch for someone as prestigious as the Grandmaster of Ylisse to have found love in the arms of another."

"Yeah, but who? We all knew how he was; always locked up in his room with his head in a book," Severa countered with a shrug. "He wasn't exactly great husband material."

That last remark annoyed her slightly, but Severa was undeniably right. The Robin they knew didn't have much interest in settling down and starting a family.

"Then there were her hair and eyes."

Lucina perked up at that.

"Her hair and eyes…?"

"Yeah," Severa nodded. "Both were a navy blue. Sort of like you and Cynthia's."

The princess furrowed her brow and tilted her head back.

Well, that just didn't make any sense. If this mystery girl really was Robin's child, then for her to have features such as that, the mother would have to have features similar to that. As far as she knew, no woman in the Shepherds had such traits.

"The only way that could have happened is if your father somehow magically sprouted a pair of ovaries," Severa scoffed. "You can see where my skepticism comes from here."

Lucina froze.

Navy blue hair.

Blue eyes.

Same hair as Robin.

The same coat.

"Heh, when you put it like that it does sound a little farfetched," Owain snorted. "Perhaps my imagination was getting the better of me."

"Sort of like mine…" Lucina murmured, her eyes lost in thought as she stared at a strand of hair she had pinched between her thumb and forefinger.

"Is something the matter, cousin?" Owain asked, raising an eyebrow.

"…No, nothing's the matter," Lucina replied and shook the thought from her head.

No, _that_ was most certainly impossible.

* * *

 _ **And that's all she wrote!**_

 _ **I had fun writing this chapter. I know it was a bit all over the place at times, but that's probably why I liked it so much. It was fun to write a bunch of different scenes.**_

 _ **And boy oh boy, Severa and Owain join the party?! That was actually more fun than I thought. I originally thought it was going to be a chore to write the inclusion of the second generation, but I actually rather enjoyed writing Owain and Severa's antics.**_

 _ **Anyhow, thanks for reading everyone! I'll see you next time!**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Hey everyone! Welcome to the newest chapter of From the Ground Up!**_

 _ **The entirety of this chapter is Robin and Lucina, folks, so I hope you're ready! I felt it was time for some more progress with them. Can't ever have enough of that, right?**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

Lucina paced though the sleepy camp, walking as carefully as she could as to not rouse anyone who might be asleep.

The day had long since ended, and all of the Shepherds had since gone to bed. Once Flavia and Basillio caught up to them and they were finally able to set up camp, everyone pretty much went right to sleep. Dinners were usually a loud affair within the Shepherds, filled with lively conversations and boisterous laughter, but today was an exception. After the eventful day they had, even the ever-energetic Nowi was ready to collapse into a bed.

The usual lively, after dinner campfires were empty tonight. The only sound amongst the camp was that of the crickets chirping and the wind blowing through the plains. Lucina wagered that the only people still awake were the ones standing guard.

Well, them and Robin.

Stopping outside his tent, she did a quick scan of the area to make sure she was undetected.

No one was going for a late-night walk. There was no one making a trip to the bathroom. There was no secret Father lurking in the shadows.

Sighing in relief, she pushed aside the tent flaps and stepped inside.

As expected, Robin was still awake.

Also as expected, the place was a mess of papers and books. His desk was covered in various maps and status reports, some of it even spilling on to the ground. From there, the papers were scattered about the room as if a small tornado had come through and blown everything astray. There were even some books thrown across his bed.

 _How does one work like this?_ Lucina thought to herself.

Robin was standing over his desk, his arms propping himself up. His eyes were slowly moving back and forth as he read the text of the book underneath him, completely oblivious to the fact that someone else had entered his tent unannounced.

The tactician hummed to himself and jotted something down on a nearby piece of paper, then turned the page of the book.

She placed her bedroll on the ground, followed by her only change of clothes. It was almost comical how little space her things took up compared to Robin's.

And he still hadn't noticed her presence.

"Good evening, Robin."

"Gah!"

The tactician threw his hands up in the air, his quill getting flung across the tent in the process.

"Ah, goodness Lucina!" Robin exhaled shakily and leaned against his desk. "You scared the daylights out of me!"

"Sorry," she giggled and stepped towards him. "That wasn't my intention."

"Yeah, I guess I kind of got lost there," he yawned, his eyes bulging when he noticed her pile of things on the floor. "Oh, damn! Let me clean up real quick!"

Robin moved towards the nearest pile of books and stacked them up and placed them in the corner.

"I'm sorry, Lucina," he chuckled awkwardly as he moved around his tent, tidying his things. "It's kind of a mess."

"You don't say," she laughed and walked towards his desk. "You must have really been enamored with your work."

"A little bit. Once we got camp set up, everything kind of just started flowing."

Lucina idly fingered through the mess of papers on his desk. There were various reports on inventory, Valmese troops, and the resistance. Underneath that a giant map of the continent was sprawled out, with various circles scribbled on its surface.

"After I met with Owain and Severa, I came up with an idea on how to find the rest of your friends," Robin said, coming up behind her. "It's rather ingenious, really."

"That's excellent, Robin," Lucina grinned. "May I hear it?"

"Of course!" he nodded excitedly, his eyes lighting up like a child's. "So, after I talked with Owain and Severa, I realized something."

"That being?"

"They both carried things that belonged to their parents at some point."

"Right. Their parents' wedding rings."

"And that's not all," Robin said, raising a finger. "Owain was carrying his father's sword, and Severa had her mother's hairpins."

 _That's right!_

Lucina had nearly forgotten that she wasn't the only one to inherit other things from her parents. Each of her friends received something or other from their mother or father. Gerome inherited Minerva, Brady her mother's staff, etc.

Robin pushed aside some of the papers that covered the map of Valm.

"These circles are areas of dense population. Stuff like towns and villages."

Lucina nodded along, waiting for him to continue.

"And my thought is, if these two decided to come over to Valm to find their parents, what's stopping the others from having the same idea?"

She was silent for a moment as she pondered this. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility, she supposed. She knew that most of the fellow children were dying to see their parents once more, but there were a few outliers in the group. It was hard to say for certain if they would come to Valm too look for them, but it was certainly possible they would come to this continent for other reasons. This war had a heavy impact on the days to come, and with each day that passed, they grew closer and closer to Grima's arrival. It's also possible that they would come over here to find her, knowing that she would most likely follow her father across the ocean.

"It's certainly a possibility," she admitted. "But even so, it'd be like trying to find a needle in a haystack."

"That's where their mementos come into play," Robin said, looking rather pleased with himself. "If we have Panne get a good whiff of the parents of the Shepherds, she might be able to track that scent right to the kids."

Lucina blinked, her brow furrowing. That sounded like a bit of a reach. They've probably been rained on, changed clothes, and bathed since then. How could Panne even hope to find them?

"Such a thing is possible?"

"Oh, you should see the nose on her. She could probably sniff out your friends even after all this time. If they're on this continent, you can bet she'll find them."

"If you really think that'd work, that'd be amazing," Lucina murmured, her entire face lighting up. "I haven't seen them in so long… if Lady Panne could truly find them, I'd be beyond overjoyed."

"Her finding them should be a piece of cake. The only trouble will be asking her to go through all this work and effort on a whim," Robin sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "But, it should be fine. I'll just persuade her with some carrot stew."

Lucina glanced over at him and rose an eyebrow.

"You'd be surprised how effective a bargaining tool carrot stew is," Robin shrugged.

"Duly noted," she smiled slightly, pausing when her eyes landed on the book Robin had open on his desk.

Reaching out, she grabbed the cover and lifted it so she could properly see the title.

"'Valentian Spellcraft?'" she read aloud and looked at Robin. "I didn't know you studied history, Robin. Though, I guess it shouldn't be a surprise considering your position."

"Oh, no, no; it's nothing like that," Robin chuckled and picked up the book, his eyes moving across the pages. "This is just a little side project I'm working on with Miriel."

 _A side project?_

When Lucina looked at him questioningly, Robin simply smirked and wagged his index finger at her.

"Sorry, but that's a secret. A magician never reveals his tricks, you see."

"But, you're not a magician."

"Eh, technicalities," he waved her off and tossed the book aside. "Enough about that for now. We've got more important things to worry about."

"We do?" she asked.

"Yeah," Robin frowned and clicked his tongue as he examined the sorry state of his tent. "I admit, I may have forgotten about are prior arrangements."

Lucina took another look around as well. His effort to clean the place in that single minute was valiant, but the place still looked like a rampaging bear had been through it.

"I have no idea what you mean."

"Was that sarcasm I just heard?" Robin smiled, his eyes widening slightly. "Color me impressed."

"Maybe you're just rubbing off on me," she smiled back. "But really, Robin. Don't worry about the mess. In fact, it's rather comforting."

"If you say so," he laughed and shrugged. "Here: allow me."

Walking towards her belongings, he grabbed her bed roll and unfurled it, placing it a few feet away from his.

Lucina tried not to blush as she saw how close the two would actually be. If she reached out, they'd probably be touching… This would be the first time she slept so close to another person; let alone a man. She was almost having second thoughts about the whole thing, but Robin was looking so pleased with it all that she decided to swallow her insecurities this time.

"There! Perfect!"

"Yes, that should work," she mumbled and turned away.

"Though, we really should see the quartermaster about requisitioning a two cots," Robin continued. "It'd be nice to not have to sleep on the ground, wouldn't it?"

"We don't have to go that far; I wouldn't want to be a bother."

"A bother?" Robin looked at her, quirking an eyebrow. "I wouldn't worry about that. I mean, it _is_ his job."

"I-If you insist," she stammered. Somehow the thought of sleeping in a bed beside him was more embarrassing then the bedroll itself. If she imagined even _sharing_ a bed with him… well, her brain would probably fry.

"Excellent! Truth be told, I'm getting a little tired of this set-up anyways."

How in Naga's name was he so… composed? Was he not nervous as well? After their conversation earlier, she was so sure that she was fine with it. In fact, she had really been looking forward to it. The thought of returning to her tent and having Robin waiting there for her left her with butterflies in her stomach. To have someone to talk to in the dead of night when she couldn't sleep was a privilege she never dreamt of having.

And If today was any indication, it'd be rare for the two of them to get any time alone together. The nights before bed might be the only time they see each other in some cases.

Lucina shook her head. She was thinking too much… Probably due to that conversation she had with Owain and Severa earlier.

"Plus, a cot would be a little more forgiving on my bad side," Robin chuckled.

She kicked herself for having forgotten that little detail.

"I'm sorry, Robin, that had completely slipped my mind," Lucina sighed. "How are your wounds feeling, by the way?"

"They're doing better, actually," he answered, rolling his shoulder. "After the fight today they stung a little, but it's not as bad now."

Robin smirked playfully.

"Glad to know I'm not the only one spacing out."

"I will admit, there certainly is a lot on my mind."

"I could imagine."

"Indeed," Lucina spoke in a small voice, shaking her head when her thoughts began to get away from her. "Is there any way I can help? I'm not as skilled as Lissa or Maribelle, but I have some knowledge on treating wounds."

"You do?" Robin raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, although it's pretty basic."

"Well, basic is all I need."

He shrugged off his coat and tossed it to the ground.

"I'll probably get a serious scolding from your aunt if I don't change these bandages," he said with a wince, motioning to his torso. "And, uh, well… I have some difficulty doing it myself. It's a pain trying to reach-"

"Let me do it!"

Robin blinked a few times and stood frozen in place.

"I mean…" Lucina blushed and scratched her cheek, averting his eyes. "I'd be happy to assist you, if you'd like."

"Y-yeah, sure thing," Robin mumbled and motioned her onwards. "There should be a roll of gauze near my desk."

Sure enough, there was roll of bandages by the back leg.

She reached down and grabbed it, then moved to the desk chair a few feet away.

"Here," she said and patted the back of it. "It'll be easier if you sit."

Robin hesitated at first, but eventually relented with a nod.

Once he had eased down into the seat, Lucina came around in front of him and set the roll aside.

"Take off your shirt."

Robin stared at her blankly for a second before the realization of what she had just asked him set in. She could basically see the steam emit from his ears when he looked away, mumbling some incomprehensible reply under his breath.

The princess tried not to grimace at how forward she had just sounded.

"So I can change your bandages," she continued, ignoring the rising heat in her cheeks.

"I totally knew that's what you meant."

Robin winced as he peeled his shirt off and threw it aside.

She was almost taken back by how slender he was. It wasn't like he wasn't in shape; quite the opposite in fact, but without his baggy cloak that he always wore, he looked so much thinner. In fact, she would even go so far as to say that he couldn't be much heavier than she was. Somewhere between her and Lon'qu.

He was also much paler than she had expected. Maybe it was due to the fact that his white hair made it less obvious, but now that she could see the rest of his torso, it was rather noticeable. The bandages were only a few shades brighter than his skin.

"Have at it."

Lucina hummed, rubbing her chin in thought. The way Aunt Lissa had done his bandages were rather intricate. They wrapped around his abdomen down to his hips, but once they made it further up his chest it began to taper off and only covered the right shoulder and forearm.

"I apologize in advance if this stings a little," Lucina said, reaching out to grab the end the it.

"Don't worry, I'll be- AH!"

Robin yelped and flinched the minute Lucina's fingers touched his skin.

"Sweet Naga, Lucina! Did you dip your fingers in ice cubes before you came here?"

"My apologies," she giggled as she began to unravel his bandages.

"Well, at least you're sorry," Robin grumbled, but she could hear the traces of a smile in his tone.

Both were silent as she worked. She decided to start at the bottom and work her way up. Lissa's wrapping had been intricate, but they still came undone easily.

Truth be told, she had been fully expecting his burns to look much worse than they actually did.. She was mentally preparing herself for the worst, but in the end, they looked to be healing nicely. The skin was still red and swollen, but nearly all of the wounds had scarred over. It was rather relieving to see, actually.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not at all, actually," Robin let out a pleasant sigh and peeked back at her. "You're pretty good at this."

"It's a rather practical skill to have, as you can see."

"No kidding," he chuckled and faced forward. "Maybe I should get Lissa to teach me a few tips and tricks after this. I have always wanted to use a stave."

"You? A healer?" Lucina smirked imagining Robin wearing a cleric's outfit. "Knowing you, you'd probably find a way to integrate it into your fighting style."

"…Now that you mention it…" Robin trailed off. "It isjust a wooden stick after all. I could wield it in my off-hand alongside my sword. Use it to get in the occasional hit. Mix up my style. Throw people off… And it _would_ be pretty satisfying to thwack people over the head with it."

"That would be quite the sight to behold," she grinned. It was hard to not burst out laughing at the thought of their Grandmaster running around the battlefield and hitting the Valmese with a glorified stick.

When Robin didn't say anything in reply, she realized that he _truly_ was considering the idea. He had that far off look in his eyes that he got whenever he started brainstorming.

"Robin, please don't use a stave as a weapon."

"Huh?" he blinked. "Why not?"

"Because it is made of wood. Once it inevitably breaks, you'll lose your only method of healing. At that point, you might as well just carry a regular, wooden staff has a secondary weapon."

"Oh."

Robin pursed his lips and turned away.

"Yeah, I knew that."

She couldn't stop herself from bursting into a fit of laughter this time.

"Hey," Robin huffed and shot her a look. "What's so funny back there?"

"Nothing, nothing," she chimed.

Robin was actually quite cute when he wasn't trying to be.

"All done," Lucina said, balling up the old bandage and tossing it in the bin. "I just need to put on another set of dressings and you'll be good to go."

"Sounds good."

Unraveling a fair bit, Lucina began to work at wrapping the bandages around his body. Once again, starting from the bottom and going up.

"Oh, before I forget."

Robin shifted in his seat, turning to face her completely.

"I don't mean to pry, what was on your mind earlier? Is it something I can help with?"

Lucina tried not to frown when she averted his gaze.

How the hell could she explain that? 'Hey, Robin, you actually dohave a kid in the future. A daughter, in fact. Oh, and by the way, I'm the mother.'

Like that would work. All of it was such a longshot. The fact that she was even thinkingthat this was a possibility in the first place made her feel idiotic. For one, Lucina was one-hundred percent positive that there was no one else that traveled back in time with her and the others. There were only twelve of them, she would have noticed a thirteenth head. That eliminated the possibility that Robin had a child in her timeline.

And for the other reason… Well, the two of them having a daughter in the future, and that daughter then travelling back in time for some completely different reason seemed even less likely.

But, she had to say something. He was just trying to help, like he always did.

"It's nothing, really," she replied without meeting his eyes. "I was just thinking about us."

"Oh?" Robin smiled slowly. "Something good I hope?"

Lucina opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She knew she had to say _something_ , but she just didn't know what. She didn't want to sour the mood, either. It felt like every time the two of them talked, it devolved into something about the future. It'd be nice to have a conversation that wasn't about her father, the fell dragon, or anything else from her troubled past for that matter. Just something simple and easy.

But, she had to say something. If she didn't, she wouldn't even be able to look Robin in the eye without thinking about it.

When she didn't reply, Robin's smile dropped.

"Oh…" he murmured and turned away. "Look, I know our first day together probably wasn't what you had envisioned, but it won't always be like this. I know we have our work cut out for us in the coming days, but I promise I'll find time to put aside my work so that the two of us can-"

"Robin."

Walking around in front of him, Lucina knelt down and placed her hand on his knee, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"It's nothing like that, I swear," she told him in as gentle a voice she could muster. "I just… worry is all."

"About what, Lucina?"

The woman in question lowered her head.

"That I've irreparably changed your future in a way I didn't plan to."

Robin made a thoughtful sound, but didn't say anything. Lucina took his silence as her go ahead to continue.

"I promised myself that when I came back in time, I would do nothing to alter or affect the Shepherds and their prospective relationships. It was paramount that they formed friendships, created bonds, and fell in love without me or my friends' influence or guidance. If even one little thing changed, then a mother and father may have never gotten together, and their child never be born."

She sighed and threw her hands up in exasperation.

"And here I am, dating the Shepherds' tactician."

"Much to his delight, might I add."

Her lips curved up slightly at that despite herself.

"So, let me get this straight: all of this worry is because you believe that my entire future has changed due to you?" Robin asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"…Yes."

"And that's supposed to be a problem?" he shrugged.

"Robin, I don't think you understand the severity of this," Lucina said, giving him a stern look.

"I do, I do," he assured her. "But, here's what you don't understand my dear: I'm glad that you did."

"Robin-"

"Lucina, do you know what your problem here is?"

She pursed her lips, but relented and motioned for him to continue.

"You haven't stopped to think that maybe I _wanted_ it to change."

Lucina's brow creased in confusion.

"From what you've told me, my future sounds like a pretty bleak one."

"But, in my time you were a legendary tactician," she pointed out. "The world knew your name, and our enemies feared it. You were the greatest strategist of our time."

She knew that he wasn't overtly fond of his other self's ruthlessness, nor the nickname he had been adorned, but the other things had to count for something, right?

"Then the Robin from your time must have been an idiot if that's all that mattered to him."

Lucina blinked, completely stunned. Him? An idiot? He had been a lot of things, but an idiot was never one of them.

"I don't want any of that," he said and shook his head. "I don't want to be famous, and I sure as hell don't want to be feared. I don't want to live a life where I distance myself from everyone for the sake of my work. And the 'Wolf of Ylisse?' That nickname sucks! I know I've only known your cousin for a short time, but that nickname honestly sounds like something he came up with during one of his 'moments.'"

Robin grinned when Lucina began to snicker. It _did_ sound like something Owain might come up with.

"All I've ever wanted was to live a peaceful life with you," Robin said, reaching out to take hold of her hand.

Lucina looked up at him, biting her lip. That's… That's truly all he ever wanted? Just to be with her? Hearing him say that, and with such sincerity in his voice, made her heart flutter. She… she had never felt this way before.

"Are you sure? Are you really sure that this is what you want?"

"Yes," he beamed back at her. "Even if you came and told me that I would be some rich, handsome, genius bachelor in my future, I'd choose the present here with you every time. I love you, Lucina. There's nothing that's going to change that now.

Lucina sighed and shook her head. She knew how stubborn Robin could get. If he said something like that, then he sure as hell meant it. There really was no changing his mind on this.

"Have you really always felt this way?"

She couldn't help but ask.

"Uh-huh," he nodded excitedly. "Ever since that night you came to warn us of Validar's assassination attempt."

Lucina blushed and turned her head to the floor, but she was smiling nonetheless. To know that he had admired her for so long… it was embarrassing, but honestly it made her feel extremely happy.

"Uh, Lucina?"

She looked up and met Robin's eyes.

"I'd be happy to continue this conversation, but I'm starting to get cold and it's kind of awkward to talk like this when I'm half-naked."

"Oh!" Lucina's eyes widened, and she hurriedly jumped to her feet. "I'm sorry, Robin!"

"Don't worry about it, don't worry about it!" he said waved her off. "It's good that we talked about that instead of letting it fester. I'd just like to be able to wear a shirt if I could."

"Of course. I'll finish it right up."

Grabbing the strand of white gauze, she carefully began to wrap it around his waist, but made sure it was tight enough so it wouldn't fall off. It wouldn't be nearly as skillful as her aunt's dressings, but it'd make due. They needed to be change once a day after all, so she'd have time to master her craft over time.

"Gods, could you imagine if your father walked in during all of that?"

Lucina grimaced. She didn't want to picture it.

"That would have been… unfortunate."

"You could say that again," Robin snorted. "You'd be needing to put on a lot more bandages."

"Oh, he wouldn't go that far," Lucina giggled. "Though, you'd probably have to walk on crutches for a few days."

They both shared a laugh at that.

The two continued to exchange idle chitchat as Lucina finished her work. They talked about various little things; stuff like her family and their quirks, which deteriorated into Robin trying to guess what her other sibling would be like (he had been pretty spot on, of course). Then they talked about her childhood and all the little things they used to do together as a family. It hurt slightly to reminisce on the past, but in the end, it left her feeling more happy and nostalgic than wistful.

Maybe it was because Robin was a great listener. Every time she told a funny or heartwarming story about her parents or sister, he always laughed with her. There was no pity in his eyes, or remorse in his tone. He simply enjoyed the moments with her as if he had been there himself.

It was nice.

"Allllllright," Lucina clapped her hands together and stepped back. "All done."

"Really?"

Robin came to his feet and gave his torso a once over, rubbing the dressings with the palm of his hand. He then twisted his hips back and forth, jumped up and down a few times in place, then rotated his right shoulder. Content that they wouldn't fall off, he gave the princess a thumbs up.

"You did a great job, Lucina. Just as good as Lissa or Maribelle, if not better."

"Now you're just flattering me," she pouted and gave him a pointed look. There's no way she could do better than they could.

"No, really. With them doing it, I have to deal with the constant nagging and scolding."

"That's what the criteria that you base it on?" Lucina grinned. "If they nag or scold you?"

"It's pretty good criteria, if you ask me," Robin nodded sagely.

"I'll remember that for the future," she smirked. "Now, come on. We should probably retire for the evening. We have an early day tomorrow."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Robin frowned and drooped his shoulders. He looked similar to that of a child who had just been told to go to bed. It was rather amusing.

She couldn't fault him for it, however. Even she wished they could stay up longer talking. Truth be told, it wasn't often that she got to enjoy herself this much.

"Oh. Uh…"

Robin rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly looking very intrigued with the color of the top of the tent.

"Is there, like, something you need to change in to? Or any other… lady… things that you need to take care of before bed?"

Other than taking off her armor, there wasn't. But, the thought that Robin might have to undress or change into something else made her cheeks burn.

"N-no, but I could step out if you needed to."

Robin began to look more flustered.

"No need, I, uh, just usually sleep in my boxers."

"Oh."

"Yeah…"

"Well, we can just turn away while we change?"

"That works for me," Robin nodded excessively and hurriedly turned around.

Lucina quickly followed suit.

Starting at her shins, she slowly unbuckled her boots and slipped them off. From there, she pulled off her leggings and moved to her upper-half. Detaching Falchion from her hip, she gently leaned up against Robin's desk, then unfastened her belts and laid them over his chair. She then removed her cape, followed by her shoulder guards, and finally finished with her gloves.

When she finally turned back around, she was surprised to find Robin already in bed with his blanket pulled up to his chin.

"Uh…"

He looked around awkwardly before finally meeting her eyes and giving her a nod.

"H-hello there."

She had to hold onto the desk chair to keep herself from doubling over with laughter.

* * *

Robin awoke to the pitter-patter sounds of rain drops pelting the tent.

Letting out a deep yawn, he turned his head over to where Lucina was peacefully sleeping. Despite the rather loud sound of the rain, the princess was still sound asleep, her chest slowly rising and falling as she breathed, a quiet snore escaping her lips.

 _So, she's a snorer, eh? That could be some useful information later down the road._

She was sleeping on her side facing him. Her blanket was pulled up to her neck, but her right arm had broken out and was reaching towards him.

Robin took her hand in his, pushing aside her fingers as they interlocked.

Lucina purred in her sleep, but didn't wake up.

He figured he could let her sleep a little longer. With the rain coming down like it was, there was no way the army would be marching anywhere for a while. Trying to march in the thundering rain was like trying to swim upstream; just a bad idea all around.

Robin toyed with the idea of getting a few more winks himself, but he couldn't. Just holding her hand like this was enough to make his heartbeat skyrocket.

He idly wondered if this is how it'd always be around her, but in the end, he decided it didn't matter. Robin enjoyed the feeling. If it could always be like this, he'd actually consider himself lucky.

Robin smiled when Lucina's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Morning, sleepyhead."

Lucina blinked a few more times, looking slightly confused about where she was. For a second he worried that he might have overstepped his bounds, but after a few more blinks clarity returned to her eyes.

"Morning," she slurred, arching her back as she yawned. Settling back into her nest of blankets and pillows, she beamed back at him. "Funny seeing you here."

"I was just thinking the same thing," Robin smirked and squeezed her hand. "Sleep well?"

"Very."

"Me too."

Lucina's eyebrows twitched slightly as she lifted her head towards the sky.

"Is that…?"

"Rain? Yep."

"Does that mean…?"

"That we get to sleep in? Oh, absolutely."

Lucina sighed and let her head sink into her pillow, her eyelids slowly falling.

"That sounds nice."

"Or-"

"Or?" Lucina raised an eyebrow, but kept her lids closed.

"Or we could stay up and talk."

She opened her eyes, the corners of her lips inching upwards.

"I'd like that."

* * *

 _ **And that's all she wrote!**_

 _ **Like I said, all Robin and Lucina this chapter. Let me tell ya, it really scratched that Robin x Lucina itch nicely for me. Hope you all enjoyed it!**_

 _ **Next chapter we'll get back on track with the plot and the Mila Tree!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading everyone, and until next time!**_


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